Firefighters having to beg for stuff

[purlandvick]

Am I being unreasonable in thinking that the firefighters working on the moors fires should be treated better. They are working flat out then have to tweet that they need basics like socks , hats , sunscreen n insect repellent. Poor buggers , what a shit show .

Where have you read that?

It's awful isn't it. I've seen them asking for stuff on Facebook.

I've seen calls for people to contribute those items on a local Facebook page (we're North West not too far from the fires). I guess it's an extreme situation that hasn't been planned for?

It's an absolute fucking disgrace. I'm hoping it's fake news!!!!

It's common with soldiers too, and yes it's a disgrace.

It's not, I'm in North Derbyshire and there are lots of appeals for food and drink for them. They mainly seem to be orgaised by local people rather that the crews, there's even a trolley in Tesco for donations

I would optimistically suggest it's because it's completely unprecedented and so the logistics supply chain etc involved in sorting out so many for so long just isn't prepared. Rather than there's no money and the higher ups don't care.

Members of the public were asking what they could do to help and what they could donate. People wanted to help and support in some way.

Is there any way that non locals can help? (I’m in the south)

Sadly not fake , it was a tweet . I went in to donate at stalybridge fire station . It's a real situation, the fire fighters there were so grateful. I had to turn around I was so choked with emotion.

There address is stalybridge firestation , rassbottom street .stalybridge . Tameside .sk151rf There isn't an email address for them

Is there any way that non locals can help? (I’m in the south)

You can send an order to them from Amazon. That's what I did.

They were looking for water bottles, sun cream, insect repellent, socks, baseball caps. Some people also sent bottled water

The situation is dreadful not only for the lads up here but also down south... See below... posted on Save the UK Fire Service page on FB

Fire Brigades Union press release
Tuesday 3 July 2018
For immediate distribution

FIRE CREWS STRETCHED TO BREAKING POINT AS FIRES RAGE ACROSS HOME COUNTIES

Firefighters are being stretched to breaking point after a series of major fires have raged across the Home Counties, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has
said.
London Fire Brigade has sent crews to assist firefighting efforts in Surrey and Buckinghamshire leaving the capital at risk if a major incident occurred.

Fire and rescue services have been cut too far and are no longer capable of dealing with every day, foreseeable fires in their own counties warns the
FBU.
Richard Jones, executive council member for the FBU in the South East, said: “The fires we have been attending are nothing out of the ordinary. They are
fires in homes, in industrial units, in garden centres, in cars and a lot of heathland fires. Our bread and butter work. It is shocking that we have to rely on resources from London as we simply do not have the resources to do our jobs.
“Climate change experts have warned for some years that extremes in weather events are likely to become the norm but fire and rescue services are clearly not resourced to deal with these risks.
The union has criticised moves by some fire services in the Home Counties to cut the size of fire crews from five to four. Some services are even considering cutting crew sizes to just two firefighters.
It means when crews turn out to an incident they have to wait for back up before tackling the fire with the result that more fire appliances have to be sent from farther afield. Concerns have also been raised over
a shortage of firefighters within the two counties meaning a number of fire appliances are unavailable for deployment.
Jones continued: “If I were a London council tax payer, I would be outraged that my home is being left with a shortage of crews in order to assist other regions which are not adequately funded to deal with totally foreseeable events.
“A lack of water pressure - or in some cases no water at all - is complicating firefighting efforts in Guildford and Haslemere.
Water carriers from other parts of the country will have to supply firefighters with the water they need. This is time consuming and labour intensive; labour that they simply don’t have.
“Fire Authorities should stop relying on the London Fire Brigade and instead fund their own fire services properly to deal with the foreseeable risks.”
Ends
For more information contact Richard Jones on 07769 249 097 or email
[email protected]
Notes

Since 2010, the following Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) have had the number of Firefighters decimated by these cuts as the table below shows:

Fire and Rescue Service

Fire Fighters cut from 2010 to 2018
No. FF’s cut and as a Percentage of total

Kent

499 = - 30%

West Sussex

305 = -37%

Buckinghamshire

249 = -40%

Hampshire

170 = -11%

East Sussex

150 = -20%

Surrey

131 = -17%

Oxfordshire

90 = -14%

Berkshire

84 = -15%

Isle of Wight

55 = -25%

Source: FBU Freedom of Information requests April-June 2017.

another link before anyone comments on the article being biased to the south :)

www.fbu.org.uk/news/2018/07/02/moorland-firefighting-effort-hampered-lack-resources-union-warns#.WzuQa0mlO1o.twitter

As a previous poster said I think this is due to unforseen and extreme circumstances. I imagine several crews are having to work extra shifts whilst the fire service also has to be available for more every day situations. I have family members who are fire fighters and the service has been cut to the bone. I also work in the public sector (child protection, so not as immediate and usually not as life threatening). Cuts in public services have been devastating yet as usual the dedication and commitment of workers when props up the system. Just imagine if they all clocked off as per rota.

I'm not local, midlands. I sent an amazon order direct to the Stalybridge fire station.

It may be awful that the firefighters are asking for help via donations but it's a rapidly evolving situation and as a PP said, unprecedented. I imagine that any sort of government relief would take ages as they seem to have to vote over and over again on everything and things take an age to get organised.

The firefighters and other emergency services/forces risk their lives to do their jobs and I don't have an issue with donating to help them. It's not their fault that they have inadequate support and resources.

That's great u are sending parcels to help, all the stuff will be gratefully received. All the stuff wikedminx wrote is scary but true. All the people on the moors will be glad that u all care enough to comment and are thinking of them all

might be a good time to organize communities and rally around the firemen and women,
in our small NZ towns if there is a big fire that is expected to last for more than half a day, the wives/husband and community groups take food ( hot and cold) and drinks ( hot water urns and energy drinks and cold drinks etc) and things like socks & fresh t shirts ( to wear under fire gear), wash cloths to have a quick refresh, wet wipes, sun screen, insect repellent etc and once a caravan so they had somewhere to rest (during a 4 day mountain fire) and heat food and serve from... sad that in large fires that can take days or a week to get under control that it is needed but i think it also gives the guys n gals the feeling that the community at least supports and appreciates the job they do...
and if everyone adds something to the pot ( cooked food, drinks, a few pairs of socks etc even a box of beer for after when they get back) then its not much in money value but huge in supportive value!
very bad that it has to happen especially as most fire stations are volunteers too
(Normally dropped at the station to be delivered by the "station mother" and/or if allowed taken to the staging area by a few folks and set up)

During our wildfire 2 years ago when the whole city was evacuated the firefighters/RCMP etc went into supermarkets.

There were also numerous posts on Facebook from people who knew their homes were ok offering to let crews into their homes for food, beer etc

Plus hgv’s full of the aforementioned toiletries, water, socks etc. coming from all over the country.

One of the local pharmacists never left. He stayed behind to dispense meds to everyone reinstating utilities etc during the weeks the residents were not allowed to return.

Ive been in again today to donate, the Amazon parcels are arriving. The fire fighters are glad of ur help. I asked the fireman on dutywhat they now need most. They need plasters , sunscreen, insect repellent, protein bars n isotonic drinks .

A big thanks for all the helpful responses . I'm re reading the last two posts in detail to see how that can be used here. The fire brigade are tweeting and on Facebook but they more stuff n to now people are thinking of them .

Should read need more stuff n to know u are thinking of them

I went to the local Home Bargains and filled a basket with sun cream and insect repellent to take to Stalybridge. I just wish I could have done more!

The yard had several pallets of donations but nothing near what they needed!

I'm near the fires, the local support has been amazing and they said they had enough supplies atm.
However these fires are arson, and there are new fires being started in the town nearby, 3 that I know off.
Check out the pictures on Facebook of anglezarke reservoir recently, it is very low atm. Non locals can help by preserving water and teaching kids that starting fires is very bad (my opinion)

That's really good of u , it's keeping up the support.