Public still backing striking firefighters

In a poll, conducted by the Evening News, 64 per cent of respondents said they supported the industrial action.

This result goes against a national swell of opinion against the fire service following three deaths on the first day of the 48-hour walk-out, and the deaths of a mum and her three children in Devizes, Wiltshire, last night.

In a poll conducted by the BBC's Breakfast programme yesterday, the majority of voters, 62.7 per cent, said they were against the strike. Just 37.3 per cent pledged their support.

Others on Richard and Judy's Channel 4 show and on BBC Radio 2, painted a similar picture.

Worcester Sixth Form College students Ben Travitzky and Leah Wiltshire, both 16, were among those backing the firefighters.

"They don't get paid enough," said Mr Travitzky, of Henwick Road, St John's.

"It's not fair that they risk their lives for us but have to scrape by."

Miss Wiltshire, from Evesham, agreed. "They deserve more," she said. "They perform a vital service for our society."

But Worcester people questioned for the survey were divided almost 50/50 on whether the firefighters should get the 40 per cent pay rise they are demanding.

Steve Laugher, brigade secretary for Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigades Union, said the firefighters had been overwhelmed by the level of support they had received from local people.

"We are really grateful - it really helps us through," he said.

"One person, who has used our services in the past, came to the Droitwich picket line and gave us £100. There have been numerous people putting money in the fund, bringing us food and drinks - it has been tremendous."

Pay offer adding fuel to fire cause

MORALE was still high on the picket line in Worcester after a second sleepless night in freezing temperatures.

The strike, which started at 6pm on Wednesday, ends at the same time today. But further action is planned next week if no agreement over pay is reached.

"We were very wet and cold but morale has been very high," said Steve Laugher, brigade secretary of the Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigades Union.

"We don't want to be out there, we want this to be resolved. However, we do feel we deserve to be paid as professionals.

"We know the position we have put everyone in - including our own families and friends - and we certainly did not take that decision lightly."

Mr Laugher extended his sympathy to the loved ones of the three people in Halesowen, Newtown, in Powys, and Burnley, in Lancashire, who died on Wednesday, and the mother and her children who were killed in Devises last night.

"It is tragic - we feel for the families and friends of those people.

"They should not have been put in that position. It is the Government that has done that by driving us to the point where we have had to withdraw our labour," he said.

"The Government and the employers could have negotiated with us back in May rather than leave it to the last minute and bring forward this insulting offer of four per cent this year and seven per cent next year."

Mr Laugher added that one of the recommendations of the Bain Report was to introduce variable and flexible staffing which, he says, would mean fewer firefighters working at night.

"The three people who died, died during the night.

"That's when most of the deaths as a result of fire occur and they want to reduce cover overnight."

Counties' stock of idle fire engines

SIX modern fire engines are lying idle in Worcestershire and Herefordshire, it has emerged today.

David Davis, the shadow cabinet member responsible for the fire service, claimed they were among more than 400 modern engines used as reserve vehicles or, nationally, for training.

In a Commons debate, he urged the Government to use the vehicles to bolster the 50-year-old fleet of Green Goddess engines which are providing cover across the two counties.

The news came as local firefighters branded the suggestion that troops be ordered to cross the picket line to commandeer modern equipment as "nonsense".

Government ministers toughened their stance as fire service staff stood firm on the second day of their 48-hour strike.

Home Office minister Lord Falconer said if public safety was at risk, crossing the picket lines was the only option.

But Steve Laugher, brigade secretary of the Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigades Union, said firefighters had to train for four years before they qualified.

"We have heard from the Retained Firefighters Union that you can train someone to use the equipment in ten days - this is utter nonsense," he said.

"It is not just about using it, there is the expertise and knowledge that goes with it.

Mutual respect between teams

IT HAS been business as usual for Hereford and Worcester's retained firefighters who have remained on duty throughout the strike.

They have worked alongside the troops to provide fire cover for the two counties.

In Pershore, the first call during the 48-hour walk-out came just after 2am yesterday.

The 11-strong team helped extinguish a small blaze in the disused Jewson's warehouse, in Diglis.

Then there were a further two shouts later in the day - one to a fatal road accident in Gloucestershire.

But sub-officer Chris Parsons, who has been a retained firefighter in the town for almost 40 years, said that, so far, they had not been any busier than normal.

"We have only been out three times since it all started which is nothing in excess of what we normally expect," he said.

During the first day of the strike the Retained Firefighters Union, which has a no-strike policy, claimed that some of their fire stations had been sabotaged.

But Mr Parsons stressed that Pershore and other crews in the area had not experienced anything like that.

"I know that my full-time colleagues would not stoop that low," he said.

"I have a great deal of respect for the action they are taking and, in return, I am grateful that they respect what we are doing."

"We regard ourselves as part of the local community - we are doing a part-time job for the local community," Mr Parsons added.

Support

"And, like many others around the country, we feel that we have to carry on and support our community as we have agreed to do."

Steve Laugher, brigade secretary for the Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigades Union, said he too had not heard of any incidents of sabotage locally.

"The Union certainly does not condone any acts of sabotage - we would not support that sort behaviour."

Police action on crank calls

HOAX callers cashing in on the firefighters' strike will be tracked down and prosecuted, the brigade has warned.

The number of crank calls has rocketed since the walk-out started on Wednesday, said Alec Mackie, spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade.

But he warned the time-wasters they would be hunted down and brought to book.

Thirty-five hoax calls have been made so far.

The Green Goddesses and retained fire crews have attended some, but others have been exposed as hoaxes before they have gone out.

Last night, the crew at Upton-on-Severn received two calls to two separate incidents in the Malvern area.

But they were returned to the station on route after a police investigation into the origin of the call revealed that it was not genuine.

Another crank call was made claiming that there was a bin fire in Worcester city centre.

"There has been an increase in the number of hoax calls during the strike which is a reflection of the mentality of those who make them," said Mr Mackie.

"Hoax calls, at any time, particularly during the current situation where resources are stretched, is criminal.

"The police are investigating them and hope to bring them to book. They do have the technology to find them," he said.

"We would warn anyone tempted to make a malicious call not to do it at any time. They could well be putting other people's lives at risk," Mr Mackie added.