Petition launched against cuts to Deeside’s full-time fire service amid rising response time fears

Deeside is facing the alarming prospect of fire cover being significantly reduced if proposals from the North Wales Fire Service’s Senior Leadership Team go ahead.

Plans are being worked up to shift from the current Wholetime 24/7 staffing model at Deeside Fire Station to a Day Crewing system, which would redistribute staff to bolster services in Porthmadog, Corwen, and Dolgellau.

Should these changes come into effect, the immediate consequence would be a drastic increase in response times for fire appliances in Deeside and a “huge downgrade in cover” one firefighter told Deeside.com.

Deeside Fire Station, operates on a shift system, with operational employees divided into four rota groups known as “watches.” These groups cover 365 days and nights each year.

The standard turnout time, day and night, is around 90 seconds.

The proposed model suggests reducing this to two watches, resulting in the loss of 14 frontline firefighters from Deeside.

Consequently, the turnout time at night is expected to increase to between 9-10 minutes.

“We work tirelessly to provide the best coverage and service possible, but this reduction will be devastating for the community. Lives could be harmed, or worse, lost,” expressed a concerned firefighter.

“It also puts us, the firefighters, at greater risk, as we will now be responding to more fully developed fires. These are inherently more challenging and riskier to deal with than fires that are caught in the developing stage.”

The implications are stark: a slower response in one of North Wales’s most densely populated areas, which is also home to a vast industrial zone, could potentially allow fires to grow unchecked and endanger lives.

Consultation

During a public consultation aimed at improving services in rural areas, fire chiefs presented three potential options.

A report detailing the feedback from this consultation was shared with members of the Fire and Rescue Authority in a meeting held last month.

Nearly 1,800 people from across North Wales participated in the consultation. Their feedback played a crucial role in shaping the direction of the proposed changes.

Among the options initially presented were the potential closure of stations in Abersoch, Beaumaris, Llanberis, Conwy, and Cerrigydrudion, as well as job losses. However, these options have now been ruled out.

Option 1

The favoured option, known as ‘Option 1’, proposes moving Deeside and Rhyl fire stations to a day-crewed model system.

This would also introduce three day-staffed stations at Corwen, Porthmadog, and Dolgellau.

This change would involve reallocating 28 full-time firefighters following adjustments at Deeside, Rhyl, and the rural duty system.

The day crewing shift system requires crews to work a combination of hours on the station during the day and be on-call from a base location overnight, ensuring a 24-hour response.

New petition

In response to these concerning developments, a petition has been organised, appealing to the public’s sense of urgency and community spirit to contest these cuts.

The message is clear: the protection provided by a full-time fire service is not a luxury but a necessity.

The petition started by a ‘Concerned Citizen’ has so far gained over 1,500 signatures, it states:

“Fire cover in Deeside and Rhyl is currently under serious threat of being downgraded.”

“North Wales Fire Service’s Senior Leadership Team are proposing to reduce the staffing protocol from Wholetime 24/7, to a Day Crewing model, in order to release already used staff, to crew stations in Porthmadog, Corwen, and Dolgellau.”

“What this means in reality, is that the response times of a Fire appliance from Deeside & Rhyl for 14 hours of the day, will increase from 90 seconds, to around 9-10 minutes, effectively making it a part-time station. This means a potential for fires to develop further, and threats to life to increase exponentially.”

“North Wales Fire Brigade Union have developed alternative options, that enable the service to alleviate its crewing issues in other parts of the Service, but without downgrading Fire cover in the Deeside and Rhyl areas, where it is still desperately needed.”

“Please sign and share our petition, to show your support and concern for these plans to cut YOUR frontline.”

Fire Brigade Union

Speaking to Deeside.com last month, Stuart Stanley, Chair of the North Wales Fire Brigade Union, voiced significant concerns. He described the proposed changes as “a disaster for Deeside.”

He said: “It moves it a step closer to day crewed. Day crewed will add up to 10 minutes to out of hours response times, which will include 14 of every 24-hour period.

“People who have house fires will be waiting and waiting for a fire engine to attend. It will cost lives!”

He added: “Small incidents will develop into bigger incidents, all because of the ridiculous notion that a remote community should have the same response as an urban community.”

Stuart said: “Since when has anyone living in a remote environment expected to receive a fire engine within a few minutes, as you would expect from an urban response?”

“As for the firefighting staff at Deeside, if they are relocated to Dolgellau, for instance, they will expect an annual commute of 16,000 miles and potentially, 3 hours a day!”

“Those without a car will need to buy one, and those who cycle to work can expect a 5.5-hour one-way journey.”

Final decision

Chief Fire Officer Dawn Docx reassured the public and the union that efforts would focus on developing Option 1.

She emphasised the importance of collaboration with the Fire Brigades Union at both local and regional levels.

“I would like to provide reassurance that we will work with members of the Fire Brigades Union, both on a local and regional level, to find a consensus on the way forward,” she said.

The final decision will be made in a meeting of the Fire and Rescue Authority on 18 December.

The petition can be found here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-proposed-downgrading-of-fire-cover-in-deeside-and-rhyl