Exclusive - Fire mergers, Are they taking the PS3? Options

[Bofem]

Some rather odd manifestations of the spending cuts.

Fire brigade are closing two fire stations (Hungerford and one other) then merging with the ambulance service (which is run from Surrey). The irrelevant FBU is mighty aggrieved and planning to strike on Bonfire night.

And sorry everyone - but I've already bagged the PS3 from Newbury Fire Station, but I believe there's a multigym, monster DVD collection, and some old Pirelli calendars up for grabs.

[ossy1]

Some rather odd manifestations of the spending cuts.

Fire brigade are closing two fire stations (Hungerford and one other) then merging with the ambulance service (which is run from Surrey). The irrelevant FBU is mighty aggrieved and planning to strike on Bonfire night.

And sorry everyone - but I've already bagged the PS3 from Newbury Fire Station, but I believe there's a multigym, monster DVD collection, and some old Pirelli calendars up for grabs.

I thought the bonfire night strikes were restricted to London, something about 12hour shifts. Oh yes 12 hours means not an official sleeping nightshift...lol

[Bofem]

My mistake. You're quite right!

Still, it's all fairly radical. Perhaps we should go back to volunteer firefighters.

[Richard Garvie]

So what fire stations are closing in West Berks? I know of two of the retained stations supposedly going and being replaced by a single facility in the Eastern Area, but are there others going now too?

The bonfire night strikes are only in London, but it is a complete outrage. They will not strike on bonfire night, because if they do they will lose all public support. Let's see what happens, but if they do the FBU is more stupid than I thought. Responsible striking yes, but this is just wrong. I'm not sure if you know why they are striking, but they do have a mandate. London Fire Brigade want to sack every firefighter and then take them back on in new shift patterns. If there needs to be change, fine. But it's not right for any employer to railroad change through whether that's in the public or private sector.

[dannyboy]

So what fire stations are closing in West Berks? I know of two of the retained stations supposedly going and being replaced by a single facility in the Eastern Area, but are there others going now too?

The bonfire night strikes are only in London, but it is a complete outrage. They will not strike on bonfire night, because if they do they will lose all public support. Let's see what happens, but if they do the FBU is more stupid than I thought. Responsible striking yes, but this is just wrong. I'm not sure if you know why they are striking, but they do have a mandate. London Fire Brigade want to sack every firefighter and then take them back on in new shift patterns. If there needs to be change, fine. But it's not right for any employer to railroad change through whether that's in the public or private sector.

Bonfire night is actually a quiet night for the FB.

All thouse lovely London fire stations, built on prime real estate!

[Richard Garvie]

It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Why all parties are not round the table every minute of every day trying to fix this I don't know.

[gel]

It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Why all parties are not round the table every minute of every day trying to fix this I don't know.

London foresaw this and they are one of the few with a "reserve Brigade" facility up their sleeve run by Assetco.
Has already been out following earlier London stoppages; needless to say the Brothers blockade "our" fire engines in the fire stations, so Assetco has it's own fire tenders and staff mostly ex firefighters.
(Strangely Assetco was a spin off from British Gas.)

Can not give same full level of coverage obviously and typically only 1 engine attends.
Those who've been on shouts have not unexpectedly had some threats, both en route to a shout
and at the scene, by "peoples" unknown.

Not having full cover on Nov 5th will encourage the idiots in society to make hay (

This reserve brigade means London 'Ratepayers' effectively forking out twice.

See
Limited cover in London area

Many firefighters still moonlighting

[copperhead]

Some rather odd manifestations of the spending cuts.

Fire brigade are closing two fire stations (Hungerford and one other) then merging with the ambulance service (which is run from Surrey). The irrelevant FBU is mighty aggrieved and planning to strike on Bonfire night.

And sorry everyone - but I've already bagged the PS3 from Newbury Fire Station, but I believe there's a multigym, monster DVD collection, and some old Pirelli calendars up for grabs.

To dispel often heard myths which linger about firefighters, as a serving firefighter at Newbury Fire Station may I reinforce the following:
Firefighters do not spend their time waiting for incidents by playing cards, playing snooker, watching dvd's, playing volleyball etc... The working day is tightly structured and is filled with training, both practical and theoretical, maintenance and testing of equipment, community fire safty work (visiting schools, etc), Home fire safety checks (where we fit smoke detectors in people's houses). We do have a gym at the station, which is necessary as firefighters are required to be fit and strong enough to do the job. We have a television which we are permitted to watch during 'stand-down' periods which are lunch hour, evening meal hour, and at night between the hours of 01:00 and 06:45.
Over the last few years the job of firefighters has changed massively, and we have to be competent in many new areas as well as the traditional fires and road accidents. Newbury firefighters must train to be competent to deal with chemical incidents, water rescue incidents, urban search and rescue (collapsed buildings etc), mass public decontamination e.g after terrorist attack, large animal rescue, rescue from height using ropes, etc...
There are firefighters killed in the line of duty regularly, so we train hard to try to ensure that this does not happen to us, and to make sure that the public are safe.
So, please, don't be fooled by the stories of firefighters lounging around playing snooker and video games or looking at 'Pirelli calenders' - those days are long gone and the insinuations are insulting to a dedicated workforce who any of you may need to save your life one day.

[spartacus]

Touchy... and slow on the uptake there copperhead... ...Honestly <sigh> That post was made over a fortnight ago!

What's up... just got back in from rescuing another cat between your day jobs? Get back to your snooker table......

[dannyboy]

Touchy... and slow on the uptake there copperhead... ...Honestly <sigh> That post was made over a fortnight ago!

What's up... just got back in from rescuing another cat between your day jobs? Get back to your snooker table......

Firefighers having other jobs when not on shift is a bit of an urban myth....

[spartacus]

Really? One random google later....

Firefighters are working in a wide range of second jobs - from pall bearers and life coaches to magicians and footballers.

Details released through Freedom of Information reveal the unusual jobs worked by Greater Manchester firemen and women in their free time.

As well as trades such as plasterers or joiners, some are working as butchers, florists, and herdsmen. One fireman was a ‘semi-pro football player’, while one of his colleagues worked as a TV extra. Another firefighter gave his job title as the ‘proprietor of a bouncy castle business’.

Part-time work has been an attractive option for many serving firefighters, who have traditionally worked compressed hours.

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnew...d_career_ladder

[spartacus]

..or this one

ESSEX: Thirteen percent of county's firemen need a second job
ESSEX firefighters are moonlighting as chimney sweeps, film extras, funeral directors, models and window cleaners in a bid to make ends meet.

Data released to the Gazette under the Freedom of Information Act shows a total of 127 firefighters are working second jobs.

The most common second occupation is that of a builder – there are 35 in the county – while the second most common role is that of a funeral director. There are nine people in Essex who divide their time between tackling blazes and leading hearses through our streets.

Other firefighters are also working as DJs, dock hands, limo drivers, engineers, removal men, travel agents and bouncers. There is also a postman, a rugby coach, an exam invigilator, a councillor and a photographer.

The statistics refer to all uniformed personnel, so they include managers as well as rank-and-file firefighters.

"A lot of our firefighters are young men with families to feed and mortgages to pay off, and the wages as a firefighter don't really cover these costs," said Keith Flynn, Secretary for the Essex Fire Brigade Union.

"Some of them have to take second jobs to make ends meet.


Essex has 923 firefighters, so more than one in five are currently moonlighting.

Local Essex online rag...

[dannyboy]

One random google later....
[color="#0000FF"][/color]
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnew...d_career_ladder

you missed off the pertinent bit -

But the actual number of staff carrying out second jobs was relatively low – with less than one in ten asking for permission to undertake outside work.

A total of 153 uniformed personnel have registered for permission to have an extra job out of a workforce of 1,969. The statistics refer to managers as well as rank-and-file firefighters.

Firefighters in Greater Manchester Fire Service work four-day rotations, meaning they have several consecutive days at home.

However, fire service bosses brought in changes allowing them to call in off-duty officers during weekends and busy
periods - receiving time off at a late date.

Fire bosses say the shake-up three years ago, which also coincided with beds in fire stations being scrapped, had seen a drop in the number of personnel with additional jobs.

Information released by Greater Manchester Police earlier this year revealed one of their officers was holding down work as a worm breeder while another ran a business making model railway accessories

all the above are ad -hoc part time jobs. Not second careers.

[Iommi]

Touchy... and slow on the uptake there copperhead... ...Honestly <sigh> That post was made over a fortnight ago! What's up... just got back in from rescuing another cat between your day jobs? Get back to your snooker table......

They must surely have a right to reply. Even if the post was two weeks ago!

[dannyboy]

..or this one

same again.
earning a few quid as a pall bearer isn't a job.

[spartacus]

Dispels the 'urban myth' bit though dunnit?

...and yes, they're allowed to reply.... just winding copperhead up....

[dannyboy]

Dispels the 'urban myth' bit though dunnit?

...and yes, they're allowed to reply.... just winding copperhead up....

which is why I said 'bit of an urban myth'. The urban myth being that most full time fire fighters have two jobs. My guess is that of the types of work listed much was on a 'on call' basis & accounted for very little actual work.

[spartacus]

I have two mates who came out of the army around the same time as me who joined the fire service... Neither of them have 'full-time second jobs' in the sense that they're employees of another firm. Both do however have their own businesses which do 'very well thank you very much'. One's a landscape gardener, the other is a plumber.

Both of them have plenty left in their tanks at the end of their long slog at the fire station putting batteries into fire alarms for people( !!) and both have long order books from clients for their other jobs that they love, which keep them as busy as they want to be…

How we larf at the pub at their stories of how much sleep they can cram in on night duties…. (In case they’re reading this (they won't be as the don't live round this way)… Alan, Mike I’m just joshing…. I know you have been to a couple of messy car smashes but then again, I also know that neither of you have yet had to attend a ‘proper’ housefire in the last six years…. )

[Richard Garvie]

Bofem, have you got any info on the original post in this thread?

[Bofem]

Bofem, have you got any info on the original post in this thread?

I was told all that by a Newbury firefighter (one of the crew who turned up to replace the battery in my smoke alarm ), before his colleague told him to shut up!