All 999 services merged.

[Steven N]

Did anyone else read the latest idiocy in the Sunday Times today (paywall so cant post a link) that to help justify the Police Crime Commisars (sic) that no one wanted they will now have control over all 3 blue light services. some bright spark suggested that at an RTAC the fire service can do the rescue sort out the life threatening injuries and become a special constable and arrest the culprits. They are gonna need a bloody big truck to carry that much equipment and that many people to sort that lot out!

[kml]

Yes read this in the paper yesterday , thought the same as yourself - how long ago was the FireControl disaster that is still sucking away public money long after its costly demise. You really have to wonder do they research these half baked ideas before they go public with them or do they just throw them out to see what the reaction is. At least the CFO from Manchester gave a good response.

[Dinnertime Dave]

Hear today that the government white paper suggesting that PCC will take over from elected fire authority members is imminent. 

[Mike Buckley]

 So the PCC is going to start sacking Chief Fire Officers  as well as Chief Constables!

[nearlythere]

So the PCC is going to start sacking Chief Fire Officers  as well as Chief Constables!

And RNLI? And Ambo? And the AA?

[Midland Retty]

Oh no NT what a silly suggestion sheesh  

I am of course being sarcastic because do you know what the irony is people like the AA or Serco, "Noassetsco",  or other private entities could be running our public services soon, and I have to say that may include the police!

Seeing how the RNLI work, the people who work for them, their governance etc etc I don't think I would mind them running our public service, because shock horror, they seem to have that ethic, that ethos of what a public emergency service should be... they run their service as an emergency service; not a business.... seeing how others work however I do feel a little bit worried.

I'm afraid, at least to my mind, politicians want to run our 999 services, our NHS, and soon the military(!) as corporate entities - big mistake... they talk about "customers" not victims, patients, combatants, or what have you .... but surely you have to tout for customers don't you?..... which hmmmmm I wonder....touting for custom...anyone notice we are having a lot of big fires at the mo?.....shush Midland shush tut tut I wouldn't be suggesting that the.....no, no surely not..... I'm just being very sceptical and silly............ I hope!

Joking aside I feel the future state of our emergency services won't be good. Ok public services must be value for money and efficient I accept that - running an emergency service as a business however is a totally different ball game, and ultimately in my honest opinion degrades such services.

[nearlythere]

Oh no NT what a silly suggestion sheesh  

I am of course being sarcastic because do you know what the irony is people like the AA or Serco, "Noassetsco",  or other private entities could be running our public services soon, and I have to say that may include the police!

Seeing how the RNLI work, the people who work for them, their governance etc etc I don't think I would mind them running our public service, because shock horror, they seem to have that ethic, that ethos of what a public emergency service should be... they run their service as an emergency service; not a business.... seeing how others work however I do feel a little bit worried.

I'm afraid, at least to my mind, politicians want to run our 999 services, our NHS, and soon the military(!) as corporate entities - big mistake... they talk about "customers" not victims, patients, combatants, or what have you .... but surely you have to tout for customers don't you?..... which hmmmmm I wonder....touting for custom...anyone notice we are having a lot of big fires at the mo?.....shush Midland shush tut tut I wouldn't be suggesting that the.....no, no surely not..... I'm just being very sceptical and silly............ I hope!

Joking aside I feel the future state of our emergency services won't be good. Ok public services must be value for money and efficient I accept that - running an emergency service as a business however is a totally different ball game, and ultimately in my honest opinion degrades such services.

Problem with emergency services in UK is that it is too readily available and thats not good enough, sort of speak, for politicians. I was in South Africa at my two weeks time share, available for let last week in July first week in August and overlooks Kruger Game Reserve which is probably the best in the world, and we went to stay in a little touristy town called St Lucia which is a delightful place on the coast. You get to it from Kruger via Swaziland, and is a joy to stay in as you can go whale watching off shore. Absolutely amazing. Anyway this touristy town has quite an abundance of B&Bs and Guest Houses but the nearest fire station is an hour away.

[Mike Buckley]

Hey that's an idea. Close all the fire stations in Central London and see what the politicians think of that!

Hang on, Boris Johnson's already doing that.