MORE than 50 new firefighter posts have been created across West Yorkshire to help meet the demand for the service.
For the first time since the 1970s, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is now recruiting to increase its firefighter headcount.
This £1.5m investment is a direct result of the increase in the council tax precept last year. The service, like all public sector bodies, has experienced significant cuts to its budget since 2010 when austerity measures began.
As a result, firefighter numbers have reduced over last 12 years from 1,490 to 900. This was through not replacing firefighters as they retired or left, rather than redundancies. Whilst this has enabled efficiency savings, it has placed significant pressure on the staffing and flexibility of service delivery.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton said: “Having the ability to increase our numbers like this is a great position to be in. While of course it is not going to take us back to the numbers we had over 10 years ago, it is a significant step in the right direction.
“We have suffered more than any other fire service nationally in terms of the impact of the austerity measures, as we have taken more of a hit in terms of budget cuts and the impact then on staffing numbers.
“While it is never ideal to be in such a position, it presented us with an opportunity to look at what we wanted to achieve as a service and to make us fit for the future.
“Having these new firefighters will enable us to have more boots on the ground at stations where they are most needed, which will free up crews for training for these new challenges so we can continue to keep people safe in years to come.”
While a cash injection was needed to begin the process, it will become cost neutral as it will enable the service to cut back on overtime and other absences.
A total of 56 operational posts will be allocated across all 14 of the county's single-pump fire stations within weeks.
The Operational Resource Pool, made up of firefighters who were available to cover any shortfall across the region, has ceased in its current form, with the 22 posts now distributed across stations.
The additional 34 firefighter posts will take the operational establishment to 934 staff. It is anticipated they will all be assigned to a watch and station by January 2023.
For all the very latest information on the roads and rails, visit our Traffic and Travel page.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.
Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.
Have you got a story for us? Email newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk or contact us here, or call us on 01274 705292.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here