BRADFORD firefighters fear they could be left so understaffed by potential cuts that some crews will be unable to start rescue work until colleagues arrive - even when lives are in danger.

The Fire Brigades Union is in dispute with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service over suggestions that many senior firefighters could be removed as the brigade has to make a fresh round of spending cuts.

That system is already on trial elsewhere and the FBU believes it has only been stalled in Bradford because the union has refused to co-operate.

The service insists it is "not currently committed" to a Bradford trial, but accepts it would not rule out such action.

According to the FBU, the service is considering a trial where the number of Watch Managers - officers in charge of a fire engine - are given responsibility for two vehicles.

That means in some cases engines would be left with a crew of four, commanded by a more junior officer, and that is not enough to work safely in dangerous situations like house fires.

"With too few people, you are left with one of two bad options," said a Bradford FBU spokesman.

"Firefighters could stand back and not go in until other people turn up. That is what procedures would tell us to do.

"But if we are at a fire then we have to go in, though that puts us at risk. Not going in would be something we could not morally do," he said.

The FBU says the system currently being trialled involves Watch Commanders travelling to incidents by car, instead of riding on the fire engine, meaning a crew of four had the potential to arrive at a fire first, with too few staff to manage the incident safely.

It claims various options for trials to reduce staff numbers have been raised in the Bradford district.

"They are going to role it out everywhere, they are calling it a trial but it will happen across all districts," he said.

"They are pausing because they want some kind of agreement with the union.

"Our big concern is that we would go from five to four on some appliances. We believe that would be dangerous," he said.

The brigade said it was facing "unprecedented" pressure on budgets and was considering re-arranging the way the service operates to help save cash.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton, Director of Service Delivery, said: "Our Command and Leadership pilot in Leeds and Wakefield is taking place to help us explore the potential for future changes before any final decisions are made.

"The FBU have an open invitation to meet with us in order to formally represent the views of their members, the fact that they choose not to do this will not stop the progress of the pilot.

"Indeed we have only recently offered them the opportunity to sit down and discuss their concerns with us, to date they have not responded.

"The feedback that we get directly from our engagement with staff is invaluable and largely positive in support of the pilot. Change in the service is inevitable given the budgetary pressures and we genuinely want to work with all representative bodies as change takes place.

"We are not currently committed to commencing a pilot in Bradford, however, we would not rule this option out."

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