Brighton and Hove fire crews to strike again next week

Firefighters in Brighton and Hove are due to go on strike again next week.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union are due to strike for five hours from 6.30pm to 11.30pm on Saturday 19 October.

They held their first strike on Wednesday 25 September with most members supporting the action in Hove and at Preston Circus and Roedean in Brighton.

They are in the dispute with the government over pensions.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: “Contingency crews will be ready to respond to emergencies across East Sussex and Brighton and Hove when members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) take industrial action.

“Crews comprising of non FBU members and retained firefighters from East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will be on standby.

“The service’s contingency plans are based on a careful assessment of risk, analysis of past incidents and the availability of resources.

“Our advice remains clear during the strike – if you do have a fire, get out of the building, stay out and call 999.

“We will continue to respond to emergency calls and will obviously prioritise those where lives are at risk.”

Chief Fire Officer Des Prichard said: “We remain fully committed to keeping our communities safe throughout this dispute.

“Our contingency plans will provide emergency cover but this is inevitably below our usual level.

“We are asking members of the public to do what they can to reduce the risk of fire and limit the number of incidents that we are called out to.”