Strikes- what are fire services doing to maintain some level of cover?

[kurnal]

Derbyshire have recruited about 60 volunteers to give cover during the strike- they have had some very basic training. Whats happening elsewhere?

[wee brian]

As I understand it, that's what is happening across the country.

The Army are not involved anymore.

[nearlythere]

Derbyshire have recruited about 60 volunteers to give cover during the strike- they have had some very basic training. Whats happening elsewhere?

Who are the volunteers?

[Golden]

Are these actual 'volunteers' - i.e. the man off the street with no background in fire fighting? The last lot in LFB (2011?) were awful and they were paid, apparently lots of students from out of town who received a few days training. A friend of mine was unfortunate enough to be IC (LFB but not FBU) on one of the larger incidents they tackled and was seriously upset by what he witnessed and has suffered some depression type attacks over his experiences that day, he left the service with a very bitter taste a few months later.

Lets face it - fire fighting is fun and exciting if you know what you are doing - if you don't its dangerous to yourselves and more importantly to the public at large and if these 'volunteers' are just a bunch of do-gooder thrill seekers then someone is going to get hurt (again if there are any more strikes more than 4 hours long).

My 'gut feeling' is that the brigades know the rank and file really haven't got the stomach for a fight and they're thinking that enough Ffs will not strike to maintain a skeleton service. The brigades will insist on any Ff not striking riding on a fire engine and its a classic divide and conquer situation with the FBU being weakened every time.

[colin todd]

I hereby volunteer to fight fires in Surrey, but only if they make me a temporary Group Commander. (As a reference, | drove ambulances in Edinburgh during a Scottish Ambulance Service strike, and the rumours that I nearly demolished the Morningside Bar were greatly exaggerated- it was a very difficult turn to negotiate.)

[kurnal]

Can you imagine the dissapointment of having a heart attack and hoping for a competent or at least a pretty paramedic to give you the kiss of life and seeing Toddy bearing down on you?

[kurnal]

Yes these volunteers were recruited by ads in the press and have been given a few hours basic training. They will be paid - if I recall £130 per 12 hour shift  was mentioned.

[nearlythere]

Are these actual 'volunteers' - i.e. the man off the street with no background in fire fighting? The last lot in LFB (2011?) were awful and they were paid, apparently lots of students from out of town who received a few days training. A friend of mine was unfortunate enough to be IC (LFB but not FBU) on one of the larger incidents they tackled and was seriously upset by what he witnessed and has suffered some depression type attacks over his experiences that day, he left the service with a very bitter taste a few months later.

Lets face it - fire fighting is fun and exciting if you know what you are doing - if you don't its dangerous to yourselves and more importantly to the public at large and if these 'volunteers' are just a bunch of do-gooder thrill seekers then someone is going to get hurt (again if there are any more strikes more than 4 hours long).

My 'gut feeling' is that the brigades know the rank and file really haven't got the stomach for a fight and they're thinking that enough Ffs will not strike to maintain a skeleton service. The brigades will insist on any Ff not striking riding on a fire engine and its a classic divide and conquer situation with the FBU being weakened every time.

Goldie. This is a significant money in pocket issue which I think will attract quite a bit of support. It would have mine and I would not consider myself a union or political stooge.

[Golden]

NT although I agree with you that the money is significant I really don't think the support is there for a long drawn out dispute and I don't think the government are going to cave in easily - there may be some compromise but I'd have thought this would have been discussed already. Maybe there's some other agenda too - I'll always remember sitting with a few non-uniformed senior fire service personnel in 2002 as they were discussing the outcome of the 2003 strike before the ballot had even taken place.

Toddy you can't be a 'commander' as I don't believe there is any such role left in the fire service but you can be designated a manager; please take a look at the simple instructions in the role map http://www.lge.gov.uk/lge/aio/52173 

[Owain]

Yes these volunteers were recruited by ads in the press and have been given a few hours basic training. They will be paid - if I recall £130 per 12 hour shift  was mentioned.

That was then.

Now they'll probably be provided by DWP-contracted work placement schemes.

[nearlythere]

I hereby volunteer to fight fires in Surrey, but only if they make me a temporary Group Commander. (As a reference, | drove ambulances in Edinburgh during a Scottish Ambulance Service strike, and the rumours that I nearly demolished the Morningside Bar were greatly exaggerated- it was a very difficult turn to negotiate.)

I thought you were in the Morningside Bar when you nearly demolished it. Whisky and Iron Bru can be a potent mix.

[jokar]

Zero hour contracts would be viable.  Minimum wage for when you turn up.

[Golden]

Interesting survey from the BBC - link attached. Its also interesting that 5live are asking for comments as I remember them doing a good hatchet job on firefighters in the last strike and it looks like they may be preparing for the same this time. I wonder if they're doing any fitness tests on the volunteers or if there is any age criteria applied?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24111259

[Dinnertime Dave]

Yesterday I went to my local bank to secure a mortgage for an investment property, the conversation went like this -

" What's  your occupation?"
" fire safety officer"
" is that in the fire service?"
"Yes"
"When do you retire?"
"i can leave in 18 months but i could go to 60 a colleague has just retired at 63"
" do you do the operational stuff"
"Yes"
"But you can't do that at 60 can you?"
"Errm"
"What we will need to do is send it to our underwriters to check whether that is feasible, we have to be very careful with some occupations to ensure that they are physically capable"

Oh the irony, I await their response.

[colin todd]

Almosthere, its only bushmills you need to put rubbish like Irn Bru in.  But the combo might make the braziers go well.