FIREFIGHTERS may have to bring their families to work if they carry out 96-hour shifts as part of a new “Victorian” duty system, a union claims.

The Day Crewing Plus will see them working a 24-hour shift – 12 hours on duty and 12 hours on standby. During the standby period they will be housed in purpose built facilities in which their families can join them.

Cover in Furness has already been slashed from six to four engines in two years and measures by Cumbria County Council will see eight fewer firefighters at each station in the county.

The Fire Brigades Union in Cumbria say its members have already endured “demoralising” cuts and the crewing system would mean fewer firefighters working longer hours.

Cumbria’s FBU members unanimously rejected the proposal but following a county council decision in February the Day Crewing Plus shift model will be firstly implemented in three stations: Ulverston, Carlisle East and Workington. The most recent Cumbria Integrated Risk Management Plan proposes the closure of five community fire stations at Walney, Lazonby, Arnside, Frizington, Staveley and Maryport.

The county council added that under current terms and conditions working the new hours would be voluntary.

But, if no one volunteered they would have to re-think how to cover the new shifts.

They said with a 25 per cent pay rise they expected to get volunteers who would then work the shift pattern continually.

In recent years Cumbria has seen the closure of Dalton fire station, the loss of fire control to Warrington and 50 per cent fewer firefighters in Carlisle and Barrow.

They have also lost eight firefighter posts from the aerial ladder platforms and they now crew their engines with a crew of four.


Ben Jones, firefighter and Barrow union representative Barrow union representative and firefighter Ben Jones said: “From a local perspective it just seems that the Furness area is again losing firefighters due to council cuts.

“This Victorian style system called Day Crewing Plus means firefighters will spend 96 hours at a fire station providing cover to the area.

“This system in its current form has been overwhelmingly rejected by FBU members on Cumbria.

“In reality it means there would be eight less firefighters at each of these stations.

“Firefighters in Cumbria have already seen demoralising cuts to front line fire appliances and this proposed crewing system would mean less firefighters working longer hours.

“Barrow already has one full time pump and one part-time pump. The proposal to close Walney and move their crew to Barrow will see another loss of a fire engines in Furness.

“Two years ago we had six fire engines covering Furness. If these proposals go through then we will only have four. The councillors of Barrow and Walney need to realise that once an asset like this has gone, it will not come back.

“I would ask the county council to rethink their decision to close Walney fire station, which is an invaluable asset to the large island community it protects.”


Jim Onions, chief fire officer Jim Onions, chief fire officer, said: “Following a council decision in February the Day Crewing Plus shift model will be implemented in three stations: Ulverston, Carlisle East and Workington.

The model, which is used extensively across the country, is voluntary and will see firefighters work a 24-hour shift, 12 hours on duty during the day and 12 hours on standby during the night.

“During the standby period they will be accommodated in purpose built facilities in which their families are welcome to join them.

“The crew will organise between themselves what days they will work to ensure full cover.

“On average they will work less than 13 of these shifts in a month, with the remaining days off – they would not be allowed to work more than four of these shifts in a row.

“For this they will receive a 23 per cent pensionable pay rise, taking the typical salary to around £36,500 per year. This shift model does require fewer firefighters and we hope that this will be achieved through natural wastage.

“In short it allows us to maintain full-time fire cover at six of our stations while reducing costs in line with continuing government cuts and increasing the pay of firefighters.

“We think this is a positive way forward.”