Threat to fire cover unacceptable says Thurso

4.00.00pm GMT Thu 22nd Jan 2009

"Government must act urgently to maintain cover from retained firemen"

Local MP John Thurso has today tabled a Parliamentary motion calling on the Government to act urgently to maintain cover by retained firemen in the Far North following a recent decision by the European Parliament to remove the opt out to the Working Time Directive.

John Thurso said:

"In Scotland there are 391 fire stations. 321 of these are manned by retained firemen and in the Far North all fire stations are manned by retained firemen. Nearly all retained firemen have a full-time job elsewhere working 40 or more hours. The loss of the opt out means that they will only be permitted to spend 8 hours per week on fire duty. Some two to three hours per week are taken up with training and there is therefore a real probability that in the event of an incident retained firemen would have insufficient hours to be able to provide the necessary cover.

It is clearly ludicrous. Having visited a number of fire stations over the years I know that these men and women are dedicated and skilled volunteers who not only take their work extremely seriously but also see it as a form of voluntary service to the community. To ban them from undertaking this work is unacceptable and the Government must find a way by which maintained firemen can continue to deliver the service which we all rely on. Without them there is a real threat to life and property."