Concerns raised over fire cover in Dearne Valley due to staffing issues


Iain Hoey
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Fire cover concerns in Dearne Valley
Concerns have been raised regarding the adequacy of fire cover in Dearne Valley due to current staffing arrangements.
As reported by the Rotherham Advertiser, figures presented to Rotherham Council revealed that in December last year, the on-call fire engine at Dearne Fire Station was available for less than five per cent of the time.
This station, which opened in 2010, replaced the Brampton and Mexborough stations and operates with both full-time and on-call part-time firefighters.
Inconsistent availability of on-call firefighters
The availability of the on-call fire engine has been inconsistent over the past year, with the best figures still showing it idle for more than three days in ten due to insufficient staffing.
Councillor Simon Ball, a member of South Yorkshire Fire Authority, expressed concerns about the adequacy of fire cover in Dearne Valley during a Rotherham Council meeting.
Councillor Stuart Knight echoed these concerns, highlighting issues of underfunding and understaffing within the service.
Fire Brigades Union criticises on-call system
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has criticised the management of the on-call system, which relies heavily on part-time staff.
FBU spokesman Matt Nicholls described the system as “antiquated” and “fundamentally flawed”, citing the difficulty for part-time firefighters to remain within five or six minutes of the station for up to 120 hours a week.
Nicholls questioned why full-time firefighters were not used on overtime to provide better cover, noting that the service had underspent in recent years.
Efforts to improve on-call staffing
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service acknowledged the challenges of maintaining on-call appliance availability, stating: “Recruitment and retention to all our on-call stations continues throughout the year.
“Nationally, the UK fire and rescue service faces challenges in relation to on-call appliance availability.
“SYFR has invested significant resources and financial support to ensure we achieve high levels of appliance availability.”
The service reported that on-call availability during the first three months of this year was 62 per cent, with expectations of improvement as new firefighters complete their training.