Fire Service will respond to emergencies during strike

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) announced that its members in fire and rescue services across England will be on a continuous strike from 7am on Wednesday, until 7am on Thursday.

The FBU has been in dispute with the Government over firefighter pension arrangements, it is the latest in a series of strikes called by the union over the past 17 months.

Paul Fuller, Bedfordshire’s chief fire officer, said: “Although this is a national dispute between the FBU and the Government, there is always a local impact when strikes are called.

“Fire Control will continue to answer 999 calls, and we will still have qualified firefighters and officers responding to emergencies.

“Inevitably, there will be a reduced service for the community, compared to normal.

“We will need to prioritise 999 calls, so that we can respond to those with the greatest potential threat to life.”