SAVE OUR RETAINED FIRE FIGHTERS

6.54.00pm GMT Fri 27th Feb 2009

SAVE OUR RETAINED FIRE FIGHTERS

Graham Watson joins with Ros Kayes and Weymouth Councillors in the fight to save Fire Stations

Fire stations in South Dorset are under threat.

In South Dorset (and many other places) fire stations are staffed entirely by retained firefighters. These highly-skilled people usually have full-time jobs outside the fire service and can spend well over 100 hours per week "on-call" either in their own homes or doing their regular job. When there's an emergency, they drop everything else to get to their fire station.

The problem

An EU Directive limits working hours to 48 per week. This is much less than the time retained firefighters may need to remain on call. Up to now, British workers have been able to opt out. Now we are in danger of losing that right and that could mean that we lose our retained firefighters. The consequences would be catastrophic to our fire service.

Your local Liberal Democrats, led by parliamentary candidate Ros Kayes, are campaigning to keep the voluntary opt-out clause so that our retained firefighters can continue their essential work. We need the public's help! If we do not publicise this threat to our local fire services and voice our opposition, the government might just agree to give up the voluntary opt out without considering the consequences.

What can you do to help There will be a link here soon to a site where you can sign a petition.

Related Link:

Retained FireFighters Petition.