Any residents of rural Kent beware

cfgs

Firstly apologies if this is deemed too political.

Right as you may or may not know I have been a retained Fire-fighter in Kent since I left college 18 years ago and have loved it until recently.  They have severely changed our way of working, it is no longer flexible and we earn less for what we do, also they have sacked long standing watch members because they could not attain level 2 Literacy (A-C standard GCSE).  So basically now very few appliances are on the run anymore and if you do live in Kent it might be of interest to you to find out more about your local station, especially what cover they give you.  I am lucky as my lot have mostly managed to ride the storm and have only lost 25% of our number, we can just about maintain the levels of cover we always have.

This website is great as it also serves as a spleen spiller and agony Aunt.  I feel better now, thanks for reading if you got past the first few lines that is.

shirty5

All the emergency services are getting hit with cuts at present, and i cannot see it getting any better for sometime to come. Morale is very low.

CrayAddick

The police force is being cut 20%..

How can they expect them to manage protests, deal with the Olympics, investigate mcains disappearance, deal with day to day crime, and still expect them to deal with a 20% lose of budget.

Off_it

Didn't firemen have to pass basic literacy tests in the past then?

I'm shocked if that's the case. Sure, you don't need to be able to read just to point a hose at a fire, but there's a hell of a lot more to the job than that. I mean, how can you go into a burning building, etc, if you may not be able to read or understand importnant notices, etc when you're in there. Surely that change in itself has to be a good thing in the long-term cfgs? (though maybe not all in one go!)

March51

Sorry to hear of this, cfgs: I've never had to call on the services of you chaps (though the 'medics have scraped me off the road a few times) but the Brigade is one of those things you know is there if you need it, thus you must feel taken for granted at times. To unload people because they can't spell is a pretty lame excuse when their prime objective is to save lives. As Shirty says there's probably a way to go yet but you're never going to replace the experience and knowledge of the staff you've lost. Good luck.

Elthamaddick

Didn't firemen have to pass basic literacy tests in the past then?

I'm shocked if that's the case. Sure, you don't need to be able to read just to point a hose at a fire, but there's a hell of a lot more to the job than that. I mean, how can you go into a burning building, etc, if you may not be able to read or understand importnant notices, etc when you're in there. Surely that change in itself has to be a good thing in the long-term cfgs? (though maybe not all in one go!)

gotta agree with this, if they couldn't attain level 2 literacy which is GCSE standard C and above, then that alone is a problem I think.....I always thought it was difficult to get into the brigade !.

I do though have the utmost respect for Firemen (and women) who do the job

Stu_of_Kunming

To unload people because they can't spell is a pretty lame excuse when their prime objective is to save lives.

In the nicest possible way, I'd have to agree with Off_It, if someone struggles with basic spelling I'd have to question their ability to do the job as well as someone who can spell.

Jayajosh

On a positive note though, Bankers will get their pay rises and bonuses this year. I'm not a Banker by the way and have not had a pay rise for 3 years. I agree with March51.

Bournemouth Addick

I am afraid this is the way of the world at the moment and employers are looking for all sorts of ways to justify getting rid of staff.

We all know that money saved on the public sector is being used by the current government to prop up the economy and IMO with little long term thought as to the effects. I think that very slowly the general public will start to realise what they voted for but it's going to take a year or two before the penny drops and they can't have what they need (and used to get for the most part) when then need it like top rate emergency services.

For instance my wife and I have just spent a couple of months not knowing whether she would have a job left after a spending review in her workplace. She's a frontline worker in social services FYI and of the 30 people currently doing similar roles today only 11 will be left in a couple of months due to the spending cuts.

She and her collegues work bloody hard from the minute they start to the time they leave so I defy anyone to genuinely believe that there's not going to be a significant reduction in service as a result of the 19 posts going. Even if you believe Mr Pickles b####x about wastage in the public sector there's no way they are overstaffed to that extent.

It's not a great time to be in the public sector or if you are a service user expect to maintain the same level of service you used to get.

 

cfgs

Didn't firemen have to pass basic literacy tests in the past then?

I'm shocked if that's the case. Sure, you don't need to be able to read just to point a hose at a fire, but there's a hell of a lot more to the job than that. I mean, how can you go into a burning building, etc, if you may not be able to read or understand importnant notices, etc when you're in there. Surely that change in itself has to be a good thing in the long-term cfgs? (though maybe not all in one go!)

Yes but not so stringent, as someone that can happily quote A-level passes it does not worry me but the fire service is a practical thing.  Blokes do the job who are also electricians or mechanics and that comes in far more important.  The spelling is not a great thing but comprehension is important

Off_it

On a positive note though, Bankers will get their pay rises and bonuses this year. I'm not a Banker by the way and have not had a pay rise for 3 years. I agree with March51.

True, but to be fair, a hell of a lot of people involved in "banking" have already lost their jobs over the past few years - and I'm not talking about the likes of Fred the Shred either, ust ordinary rank and file works who aren't necessarily on a good screw. It was only a question of time before the public service had to do the same really - the only real debating point seems to be over how much and how soon, not "if".

colthe3rd

The police force is being cut 20%.. How can they expect them to manage protests, deal with the Olympics, investigate mcains disappearance, deal with day to day crime, and still expect them to deal with a 20% lose of budget.

Less beating and arresting of innocent people maybe?

Off_it

Oh, and for the record, I'm not a banker either and have only had one single payrise (2%) in the past four years - despite my "team" effectively being reduced in that time from six people to .... er .... me!

shirty5

Wait till the Olympics are completed, and then the general public will start to see the effect of these cuts. You will see plenty of old bill in london next July/August but after that the shit will hit the fan!!

LenGlover

Local authorities still seem to be recruiting "Sustainability Officers" and other "Green" posts despite cutting front line services.

Anyone know why that is?

valleyaddick

I think you will find that if your not in the fire service or you don't live in one of the communities involved ! No one gives a stuff!

DaveMehmet

To unload people because they can't spell is a pretty lame excuse when their prime objective is to save lives.

In the nicest possible way, I'd have to agree with Off_It, if someone struggles with basic spelling I'd have to question their ability to do the job as well as someone who can spell.

Yes, you wouldn't want them turning up at your house to put a fire out and have them climbing up larders.

RedArmySE7

I think people are confusing illiteracy with an English GCSE A-C. My sister can read and write but wouldn't get a A-C if you paid her. I'm sure she's not alone.

WSS

She's not alone, she's with me. Piiiiece.

Rizzo

My father was a fireman for 30 years so I have a great deal of time for the service but I have to agree that a basic level of literacy is pretty much essential. Ability to read warning labels on explosive/flammable materials etc I would imagine is quite useful.

LenGlover

I think you will find that if your not in the fire service or you don't live in one of the communities involved ! No one gives a stuff! 

I think you might "give a stuff" if you have a house fire or are trapped in a vehicle after an accident.

One hopes never to need to use the emergency services but it is essential to have them in case. A bit like car and house insurance.

cfgs

Indeed but as RedArmySE7 says is it essential to be able to pass a GCSE with flying colours?  Anyway I do not expect you all to be gutted about what is happening down my way, but I could tell you about what is potentially going to occur in London instead

valleyaddick

that's my point ! No one does unless it affects them directly

LenGlover

that's my point ! No one does unless it affects them directly

I beg to differ.

People are very concerned about losses of and reductions to essential services. The problem is that they don't always know how or where to effectively articulate that concern.

Our politicians and public servants surround themselves with immunity clauses not available to those outside the "bubble" and so the incompetence and mismanagement continues.

MrOneLung

Luckily they can fall back on their second jobs to keep them going.

valleyaddick

MrOneLung Why are most working people who take a second job deemed honest and hardworking whilst firefighters doing a second job are greedy bastards?

WSS

There's putting words in someone's mouth and then there's putting words in someone's mouth!

DaveMehmet

There's putting words in someone's mouth and then there's putting words in someone's mouth!

and don't even start on cock

LenGlover

Valleyaddick doesn't appear to have read the thread probably in that cfgs is talking about RETAINED fire fighters.

That means that being a fireman IS his second job and in his area no retained fire service probably means no fire service at all!

 

LenGlover

Sorry I cannot edit.

I meant MrOneLung not valleyaddick.

cfgs

Hey ho, also why should a fulltime fire-fighter not take a second job as they have so much frrr time?  As long as it is all declared of course