Station manager declares fire safety is still a priority
A fire chief under pressure from huge reductions to the fire services budget in South Tyneside has promised that despite the cutbacks, the ability to provide fire safety for the area will not be compromised.
After it was confirmed that there will be a 25 percent reduction in funding for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS), amounting to about £9m over four years, the borough fire boss has moved to try and allay the concerns of the people in South Tyneside.
Hebburn fire station manager Ian Cuskin reacted to the news by stating:
“TWFRS is facing very challenging times ahead.
“In essence, this means a 25 per cent cut in our funding from central government, which is nearly £9m in efficiency savings to be found over the next four years.
“While internally there will be changes to our organisation, we are determined to ensure we continue to provide the people of South Tyneside with a first-class fire and rescue service.”
A review is currently underway into how the organisation is being run and redundancies have not been ruled out as of yet, although staffing levels are being looked at along with how the firefighting equipment available can best be put to use.