IN the past five years, firefighter numbers in Cumbria have been cut by 49 while in the same period, fire-related deaths have increased to record levels. AMY FENTON speaks to firefighters on the front line and examines the links between the two

YOUR chances of dying from a fire in Barrow are at the highest in the past five years with Cumbria's overall fire fatality rate one of the highest in England and Wales.

Figures obtained exclusively by the Evening Mail reveal a startling link between fire-related deaths and a reduction in the number of firefighters in the county.

In 2011, Barrow had 58 full-time equivalent firefighters and the Kendal area had 23 – a total of 81 covering the two locality areas. Barrow had four shifts of teams of 16 firefighters and three managers manning two fire engines at any one time.

The total across the county has reduced from 239 in 2011 to 190 in 2016. The combined number of FTE firefighters covering Barrow and Kendal dropped to 69 – 11 fewer than in 2011. Now, Barrow has four shifts of just four or five firefighters.

Firefighters and union reps believe budget cuts to the service in Cumbria are directly linked to the increase in the number of fire fatalities in the county.

One Barrow firefighter told the Evening Mail: "In my career, there's never been a greater risk of dying in a fire than there is now."

To put this in context, in 2010/2011 there were two fire-related deaths in Cumbria - this rose to five in 2011/2012, six in 2012/2013, then dropped to three in 2013/2014, two in 2014/2015 and increased sharply last year to seven.

Out of the seven deaths in 2015/2016, two were in Barrow and one was in Kendal.

Fire bosses deny the reduction in firefighter roles has put lives at greater risk and yet some firefighters on the front line say the figures – obtained through a series of Freedom of Information requests – speak for themselves.

One firefighter told us that "waiting for an on-call crew feels like an eternity".

Although 999 operators typically send two fire engines to a standard house fire, the second to arrive will usually be an on-call crew. This can mean a period of immense pressure for the first crew.

"A standard house fire requires two fire engines, and that's what you'll get – eventually," the firefighter told the Evening Mail.

"The problem is how long you wait before the second crew gets there. Take it from me, it's an eternity and at the back of your mind, until that second engine arrives, you're aware that should anything happen whilst we're committed to the incident, we're on our own.

"Out of a crew of four firefighters, we might have two in breathing apparatus fighting the fire, an officer in charge gathering information, sending radio messages and risk assessing; and the driver acting as pump operator, securing water supplies, moving hoses and also possibly trying to save a casualty's life.

"The ninth firefighter is now a manager in a car, they usually turn up after the second fire engine. They never see the huge amount of pressure on the first crew.

"Fewer engines, longer response times, rapidly-rising fire death statistics; people will make their own minds up."

The south of the county is now manned by just two full-time crews based at Barrow and Ulverston. During the day, Kendal's crew is available but only operate on an on-call basis in the evenings.

In addition, on-call crews are based at Walney, Ulverston, Millom, Bootle, Broughton, Ambleside, Windermere, Coniston, Arnside, Kirkby Lonsdale and Staveley. Dalton's on-call station was closed in 2014 and just last year, Walney was given a last-minute reprieve after a massive public backlash to Cumbria County Council's plans to close it.

There is an increasing reliance on the on-call crews with some being called out once every three days over the last two years.

That increased dependence on part-time firefighters could continue to grow. In 2013, a government-commissioned review found there was potential for increasing on-call firefighters by 10 to 40 per cent of the total workforce, which could save up to £123m per year.

On-call firefighters must be available for around 80 hours a week and are paid a fixed annual retainer of up to £2,935 as well as a fee per call-out. Most also have full-time jobs.

And yet, most are operating at reduced staffing levels and are struggling to recruit – each on-call station should have a team of 12 firefighters but some have as low as four or five.

Walney's crew, which was called out 175 times in 2015 and is one of the most commonly used as the second fire engine tasked to house fires in Barrow, has six firefighters. A minimum of four are required to respond with each fire engine.

The overall cuts in full-time firefighters has also had other effects on those working on the front line.

With fewer numbers on each crew, firefighters work nine-hour days and 15-hour night shifts. Each crew is allocated four blocks of annual leave a year; so effectively are told when they can – and cannot – take holidays.

And it is not just firefighter numbers that have reduced – the total number of admin and technical staff has reduced from 95 to 36 in the past five years.

Cumbria's fire chiefs are "desperately" recruiting more firefighters after allowing numbers to fall to "dangerous" levels, according to Fire Brigades Union organiser Ben Jones.


Ben Jone "The staffing numbers do concern me," Barrow firefighter Mr Jones said.

"We are probably at the lowest level of staffing in Cumbria than we have ever been. Every single area in Cumbria has seen a reduction in staff numbers.

"We had one of the highest levels of fire deaths over the last 12 months.

"They have whittled the crews down to such a dangerous level that they have suddenly realised they need to recruit; they are desperate. In the last two years it has been quite horrendous for some of the crews because they are going to jobs and having to wait for a second crew to turn up."

Following the closure of Cumbria's dedicated fire control room, 999 calls now go through a central unit in Warrington, with call handlers making the decision whether to send a fire crew or not.

"They are call challenging everything," Mr Jones added.

"Between October and November 2016, the fire service was requested 47 times, but we only went to 22 callouts."

However, bosses at Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service deny that reduced firefighter numbers are to blame for a spike in the number of fire-related deaths in the county.

Responding to the overall reduction in firefighter numbers, as well as a drop from two to one full-time crews based at Barrow, Operations Commander for the south Stuart Dolan insisted that there is never a delay in responding to an emergency.


Stuart Dolan "Barrow still has a regular, full-time appliance; that hasn't changed," he said.

"There used to be two, that reduced to one in the last two years. But by the same token, Ulverston never used to have a full-time appliance - they now have one full-time and one on-call crew."

Although he accepts that the service "(does) have fewer numbers" Mr Dolan also highlighted the current recruitment programme, which will see 15 new starters begin their 16-week training programme next month.

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council acknowledged there has been a rise in fire-related fatalities but insisted that no trends or issues had been identified as being responsible.

"From the beginning of April 2015 to the end of March 2016 there were seven fire fatalities in Cumbria, six of these occurred in full-time station areas with one being in a retained station area," the spokesman said.

"On average there are four fire fatalities per year in Cumbria and it is acknowledged in 2015 there was a peak compared to previous years.

"Each fire fatality is thoroughly investigated with any identified learning or trends being discussed and communicated through performance meetings. There have been no specific issues identified that have contributed to the higher levels of fire deaths in 2015."