Campaign

WRITE TO YOUR MP

Time to deliver a statutory advisory body for the fire service

I am writing to you as your constituent to request a meeting at your local surgery to discuss the current state of the UK fire and rescue service.

Over the last fourteen years, the fire and rescue service has become increasingly fragmented with standards in crewing levels and response times varying from service to service. This has created a postcode lottery in the response the public can expect from their local fire service. Nationally, response times are slower than ever before.

I am pleased by the new government’s commitment to create a national structure to set national standards across the UK fire service. However, with the fire service in a dire state and struggling to keep people safe, we need this national structure to be established quickly – and for it to have legal standing.

Making the new structure a statutory advisory body would ensure that it is a representative committee that preserves the interests of workers and the public, acting on the best technical and professional advice. Without this, future governments will not be held accountable and could choose to ignore recommendations from experts in the field. This may lead to more poor decisions that undermine public safety.

A national statutory advisory body will help ensure that the fire service is fit for the future and prepared for the increasing risks we face from climate change.

We need an end to the postcode lottery so that firefighters can keep the public safe wherever they are in the UK. It’s time for the government to deliver investment, national standards and workers’ rights to rebuild the fire service.

Please let me know a date and time that suits you to meet.