As readers will remember, in May 2011 Cllr Barry Abraham made the Delegated Decision to move Isle of Wight’s Fire Control centre to Surrey. We understand that the move will take place from 4th March this year.
Readers may also remember the article we ran last November in relation to understaffing of Surrey’s Fire and Rescue Service control room.
Under-staffing issue raised on Surrey Breakfast show
Last Friday, the under-staffing issue was discussed on the BBC Surrey Breakfast show with Nick Wallis – thanks to VB friends over the seas for pointing us in the direction of this.
Nick was joined on air by Simon Moore, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Surrey Fire and Rescue and County Councillor Kaye Hammond, who is responsible for Community Safety.
The discussion covers general fire safety in Surrey as well as understaffing. It starts to get interesting from an Island perspective at around two hours and 50 minutes into the programme.
Safety due to understaffing questioned
A listener called Stephen pointed out that a recent FOI request had revealed worrying levels of understaffing in the Reigate control centre. As this was prior to the move of the Isle of Wight control centre to Surrey, he wondered whether residents should be worried by this information.
There was a pause and, in our opinion, a rather stumbled response by the assistance Chief Fire Officer, who didn’t seem to be particularly well-briefed on Reigate taking fire control calls from the Island.
He said that he didn’t have detail of the FOI request, continuing, “That [understaffing] will not be the case going forward. Our response and experience of call handling is very good in the county, so the simple answer is no, you shouldn’t be worried.
“But I don’t have detail of the programme going forward with the Isle of Wight.”
Surrey FBU concerned at understaffing levels
Richard Jones from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), was also on the line and made it clear that he was concerned about understaffing at all levels, adding that the fire service had been riding the pumps under-crewed for the last couple of years and this was set to get worse following cuts by council last year.
The presenter then asked whether Richard thought the number of deaths in the county is a statistical blip or a direct result of the cuts made in the last few years.
Richard replied, “We’re going to see a trend in the number of injuries and deaths going up because of the speed and weight of attack in Surrey.”
Addressing Simon Moore again, Nick asked, “Isn’t it a simple equation, fewer staff, less ability to attend incidents, more deaths?”
Unhappy organistion
The assistant Chief Fire officer replied, “The public safety plan has been drawn up with an understanding that the demands upon the Fire and Rescue Service have significantly changed in recent years, we have to adapt to that.”
At the end of the interview Nick asked Richard whether Surrey Fire and Rescue was a happy organisation.
“No it’s not,” he replied.
The programme is still available to listen on BBC iPlayer (skip to 2 hrs 50 mins in). Available until 9:02am Friday 3rd February 2012.
Image: © BBC
