It's time to share the fact that we have....................

got a Twitter account . 

We have had the account for ages but up to now haven't really had the time to  utilise its functionality to maximum effect.

BUT thanks to a very generous offer from Eamonn, we at FCCL are learning how to tweet like a canary!


You can find it HERE

Cheers Eamonn!  we really appreciated your kind offer of help

And perhaps before WYFRS engage in a witch hunt to  find  Eamonn, and point out the error of his ways and how it may impede his career development plans it might be a kindness to explain  ...

Eamonn  doesn't  work for WYFRS in any capacity 

(or isnt a retired early fire fighter to be called in either)

Our latest facebook  entry got over 1,300 views in less than 12 hours and Twitter is said to be quicker and more responsive, we look forward to giving it a go.  

HR Update - New fire fighter posts in West Yorkshire !!!!

 Well OK, we confess there has only been ONE. 

Was it a "coal face firefighter" at  £28k a year 

NOPE

Was it  middle ranking officer at about  £50k a year 

NOT THAT EITHER 

The only recruitment that has taken place is for an 

Assistant Chief Fire Officer 

at a whopping  £120k plus 

figures from  WYFRA HR Committee 12th April 2013 

Now call us old fashioned but surely IF the number of stations is reducing, staff numbers being cut and  things according to Simon Pilling are all looking good, (fires down, smoke alarms saving people from burning buildings etc) 

Why do you need to replace an ACO?   

We know Martyns gone off  to play trains, a hobby he has pursued since being a teenager,  but  surely the top table should take a large dose of its own medicine and embrace the concept of not filling vacant posts due to retirement.  

Don't forget we are due another ACO retirement later in the year Craig McIntosh retires (and is  probably due to spend more time with his bagpipes) and then  Steve Rhodes hops into his  empty post on  July 1st 2013. This was all decided way back in September 2012. 

Perhaps its time to consider a 

"fundamental review"  of  the top table. 

Actually the HR report for April 12th is a cracking good read, and we will be blogging more about it the coming few days.Staff Cuts, job re profiling , compromise agreements, redundancies, compulsory and otherwise make shameful reading especially when this has all be implemented by a Labour controlled authority. 

Mind you Politicians also line their nests with money from the public purse,  we asked way back in September if people knew how much fire authority councillors receive as an allowance. And many councillors receive more than one allowance  from varying sources.  Click here to see what we wrote way back in Sept 2012. The chair of the fire authorities income is a fascinating read, he must have at least 30 hours in every day to pack it all in, and thats not counting the FOI investigation  he has been involved with recently! 

We are currently researching how much some of the WYFRA members get from the public purse to carry out their various duties.   It's quite an interesting  topic,  while  many of their constituents lose benefits, and get clobbered by bedroom taxes etc  politicians don't seem to be suffering at all ..............and the more "posts" you do, the more money you get. 

But surely the more you do 

 - the less time you give to each! 

Simon Pilling - Resigned to the fact that

We are hearing rumours of  the resignation of 

Chief Fire Officer Simon Pilling 

Yes its TRUE, Simon is now resigned to the fact that 

Fire Cuts Cost Lives is here to stay. 

Simon Pilling - Resigned

We are hearing rumours of  the resignation of 

Chief Fire Officer Simon Pilling 

And as Simon knows to his cost we here at FCCL have our ears close to the ground 

(and noses to the grindstone even on a bank holiday Monday). 

And we never knowingly blog an untruth, so  once we can confirm it we will update this page. 

His close colleague Sir Norman has decided to throw in the towel, maybe simple* Mr Pilling has had enough too ( we wouldn't blame him to be honest) 

When we refer to simple we mean he hasn't got a knighthood, it is absolutely no reference to this  at all, we promise

Not Yet Nigel

Today when you reset your clocks, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue suggest you check your smoke alarm. 

BUT there are always a million reasons why you never do 

.................... 

Not yet  Nigel, its only 5 to 6,

I'm waiting for the Easter bun

To bring my chocolate fix

Not yet Nigel, there's such a lot to do

The rabbits chewed the carpet

So I've put them in stew

Not yet Nigel, its time to cook some lunch

But its not quite 11 yet

I think i'll call it "brunch"

Not yet Nigel, its time watch TV

Nigellas on and licking spoons

Food porn it is to me

Not yet Nigel, I'm off to B & Q

I'm British, on bank holidays

Its what the natives do

Not yet Nigel its time to make some tea

Shopping for shelves and gloss paint

Gives an appetite you see

Not yet Nigel, I'm tired and need a snooze

My feet up on the sofa

And I'll watch the evening news

Not yet Nigel,its time to go to bed

I've drunk too much  (of gin I think)

I have a pounding head!

Oh shit Nigel the house is burning down

I didn't check the smoke alarm

It didn't make a sound

I'm DEAD Nigel, whatever shall i do

I should have checked the batteries

like you had told me to

Tomorrow check your smoke alarm,

No go do it NOW!

Cos West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

Need to get the risk rate down

SMOKE ALARMS LET YOU WATCH YOUR HOUSE BURN DOWN FROM THE OUTSIDE

(but contrary to what they will have youthink they don't reduce the risk of you having a fire - they just prevent you dying in it. 

Riots over Cuts in Fire and Rescue Provision

Sadly today we heard of actual riots (including the throwing of petrol bombs) due to the proposed privatisation of a Fire Station. 

Although we at FCCL may sometimes sail close to the wind in our vocal opposition of cuts in fire service provision, actions such as these WE CANNOT CONDONE . 

Therefore to read  an account of what happened please click


  HERE

And just a note to let you know that in  Leeds City Centre on April 20th  there is a protest in regard to the Bedroom Tax which will come into force on April 1st. We hope it will be a well organised event where everybody  exercises their democratic right to protest. If you need more information regarding how the bedroom tax may affect you and your family please click here to link to the HOOH site

And the answer to the question is ..........

The answer to 

The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe and Everything 

is usually taken to be 

but today in a chic Leeds Coffee Shop in a Victorian arcade 

(not that awful cloned shopping centre they have just built) 

we had an FCCL  team meeting. 

we have come up with the real answer to 

The Question of Life, The Universe and Everything, 

it's not 42 it is 

We can't i am afraid at this moment in time explain 

exactly what 712  pertains to (data protection and all that) 

BUT 

it involves many managers at WYFRS. 

 (we have this in writing)  

BUT

there is one manager we can name,

Assistant Chief Fire Officer David Walton 

who knows ALL ABOUT IT 

 - ask him nicely he might just tell you........... 

his contact details are available  here