The issue of the ageing workforce in West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service was first raised in a report back in December 2014.

That raised concerns about the lack of young blood coming into the service, and new figures are suggesting the average age of firefighters in the brigade will be 46.7 by 2020 and there will be no full time firefighters under 30.

While firefighters are fitter and stronger than most, even into their 40s, there must be fears for the impact of having so many older firefighters.

The brigade has now commissioned a report, complete with nine recommendations designed to prevent an ageing workforce having ‘significant impacts’ on the service.

Aside from the fact that it has taken around 14 months to respond to its first report, the other concern about the latest recommendations is that there is no suggestion of a recruitment campaign.

As we pointed out in 2014, the last meaningful drive for new blood was six years ago.

It is all well and good to focus on ways firefighters can look after themselves better and how the service can give them support as they get older, and there is no doubt that there are some benefits of an older workforce.

However, the only real way of improving this situation is by recruiting younger firefighters.

That is vital for the short term future, but even more so in the longer term.

If it isn’t tackled, then the average age will simply continue to increase to a level where it is simply not sustainable.