East Sussex Fire Authority are consulting with the public on plans that will decimate local Fire & Rescue Services in East Sussex.
Planned cuts include:
- Remove 10 fire engines from towns and villages across the county. Affected stations are Bexhill, Battle, Crowborough, Lewes, Newhaven, Rye, Uckfield, Seaford, Heathfield and Wadhurst.
- Cut dedicated crews for aerial appliances in Hastings.
- Cut wholetime jobs at Lewes, Newhaven, Uckfield, Crowborough, Battle and Bexhill.
- Downgrade The Ridge fire station from 24hr immediate response to only daytime immediate response.
- Cut staffing levels of wholetime firefighters at all shift stations across the county.
These will impact heavily on a critical lifesaving service. They will negatively impact public safety as well as firefighter safety and will also impede firefighter's ability to respond quickly to emergency calls.
The FBU point out that these plans were drawn up before the Covid-19 crisis, and do not take into account the different situation we will face when lockdown is finally over. Firefighters locally and nationally have taken on significant extra duties as part of supporting communities during the crisis.
Ten years of austerity cuts saw 11,500 firefighter jobs lost nationally. The service is already overstretched!
Eastbourne is represented on the East Sussex Fire Authority by Meads Tory councillor Barry Taylor, and Lib Dem Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, David Tutt. Shamefully both voted for the cuts package.
Please sign the petition here, download and print the FBU's information leaflet by clicking here, and spread the word: Fire Cuts Cost Lives!
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