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| Anger at fire budget cuts |
19 December 2007
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LIVES will be put at risk if new government proposals for cuts to the Fire and Rescue Service in Newry are implemented. That's the prediction from a leading member of the Fire Brigades Union, who was responding to news that just £4.1m has been allocated to the Fire and Rescue Service for each of the next two years less than a third of what is required to maintain current service levels.
Newry has been identified as one of seven towns that will see major reductions in the number of full-time firefighters cutting fire cover from 24-hour to 12. "Newry has been identified as one of the stations that will have to downgrade," said Mr Barbour. "The recommendations in the draft proposal are dangerous and ill-advised.
"There is a huge shortfall in the level of funding and lives are being put at risk." Newry currently has a mix of 28 full-time members as well as a district support team, which provides 24-hour cover.
But if the proposals are implemented, Newry will struggle to provide 12-hour cover Mr Barbour said. "You can anticipate that Newry will be downgraded to somewhere like Portadown which can only provide cover on a 12 hour basis," said Mr Barbour. "This is extremely serious especially when you consider that most fires take place at night.
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