Letter: Tax not down, why the cuts?
I support Steve Howley of the Fire Brigade Union in his view that the actions of the chief fire officer in sending firefighters home was ludicrous and could have resulted in a potential fatality.
Why has the fire service brought these vehicles into use instead of a proper fire appliance? So they can turn up at a house fire and maybe organise a bucket chain c.1666 until a real fire engine arrives! Welcome to the future. North Yorkshire has closed most of the village fire stations, so that places like Snainton are at least 15 - 20 minutes for a real fire engine to arrive.
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Hide AdHowever, if there is already a “shout” it could be longer before an appliance arrives. As in hospitals lives could be lost to balance the books.
We are paying increased council tax while a Tory government, county council and borough council preside over the demolition of the NHS, fire service, education, police, transport and council services.
Libraries and the Youth Service now rely on volunteers to run a skeleton service.
Will the fire service be next as unpaid volunteers (Dad’s Army) man the buckets?
We are living in a rich country, and can afford properly funded public services, instead we are returning to a Victorian penny pinching nightmare.
Tom Farrell
Lairs Lane
Snainton