Tomorrow is .................. ????

A. Another Day 

B  Test It Tuesday   

Well yes if you read our blog about Test It Tuesday  last week you will already know the answer  but  if you haven't  you can read it by  clicking this link . We have also told you about Fireplan Fridays  and the brilliant work of Watford Red Watch  which can be accessed here.  

But today is Monday - so we  have decided to rename it

 "Moan About it Monday" 

because we at FCCL are today  exceedingly grumpy, due in part to having a day job that today was spent staring at spreadsheets of various complexities;  but also due to the news that we have learnt that has annoyed us somewhat.   Ok annoyed us A LOT. 

As we have said many times before what is posted on the WYFRS incident logs and in other documents  and what actually happens in real life  are two completely  different things. And nothing demonstrates this better than  

Keighley 

In early 2013 in complete disregard of the community's wishes and firefighters common sense Keighley lost its second pump because Simon Pilling and Co decided it was no longer deemed necessary.  

So Keighley is now a one pump station. 

Which to us and many others seems rather strange as Keighley has three distinct areas of Risk 

Keighley Central  - Very High 

Keighley  East  - High 

Keighley West  - Very Low 

But as you can see from the photo below - the calculation of risk by ward 

is not worth the paper it is printed on 

We have referenced a nearby road Nashville Terrace for ease of viewing with a bold red line 

So you can make up your own mind about the difference between very high and very low risk areas  within Keighley. Ward,  FIRE is no respecter of boundaries. Statistics can prove and disprove a thousand things but  pictures like those above  are sometimes much better than words!  

But just to put it in perspective lets look at some figures too 

( the ones WYFRS dont want you, or more likely would have preferred FCCL NOT to see) 

Here are some figures we came across which start from Feb   

Total incidents on Keighley's station ground 145 of which 

Keighley ( pump 4601) attended 138 

Bingley have turned out 78 times in that same period of 

which 35 have been in their own area BUT 34 have been in 

to Keighley station area

Bingley have also turned out  7 times  to Shipley station 

ground (which of course is closing completely) 

Bingley have also turned out twice in other areas so if we 

add these out of area incidents  that Bingley are doing to the 

time they are spending in Keighley fitting smoke alarms  (we 

assume to try and get the very high risk areas reduced ) and 

the time they are off the run water rescue training......... it 

just leaves 

TWO BIG QUESTIONS 

How often do the public of Bingley have a fire engine 

actually  available in Bingley? 

If Keighley is obviously  under resourced, why remove 

the 2nd Pump ? 

I am no fire expert, (but i have friends who are) 

 but from even my limited experience 

what happens if there is a job that requires 3 pumps or 

more in Keighley?  Would for example control ask for a 

pump to be released from the incident because they are 

short of cover in the Aire Valley  - which means to even my 

common sense  WYFRS should swallow their pride 

(even if it  means an acceptable period of choking)

AND ADMIT THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE REMOVED 

THE SECOND PUMP FROM KEIGHLEY 

To repeat the words of a very dear friend to FCCL 

"Is this the progress they had hoped for?" 

These fires are messing our figures up

We at FCCL have known since starting this blog that 

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue have always been 

economical with 

THE TRUTH  

And we at FCCL are also very fond of Friedrich Nietzsche. So the quote below covers how we feel when we hear of WYFRS yet again not giving the full story on their incident log, well actually not giving any story on their incident log........ so to quote Fred yet again 

" I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you"   

So tonight we are going to tell you of two fires in Keighley that NEVER MADE  the WYFRS incident log.  

But first we need to explain about Keighley .........

On December 21st 2012 the West Yorkshire Fire Authority made the decision to reduce Keighley Fire Station from two pumps to one. The consultation document issued by WYFRS in regard to response times said 

"The time it takes for a fire engine to get to a fire is an extremely important part of the overall ambition of “Making West Yorkshire Safer”, so it is vital that, with limited resources, fire engines are located in the best places where fires are most likely to occur."

Keighley is made up of three areas - 
Central -  Very High Risk 
East - High Risk 
West - Low Risk 

So many people, firefighters included were gobsmacked when Simon Pilling & Co announced that the second pump at Keighley was to be removed with much haste and no thought  at the end of February 2012.  

Since then we  have had several reports of WYFRS struggling to make pumps three when a house fire with persons reported is logged in the Keighley area. 

Lets take a look at  two  recent examples  

On Wednesday 20th March there was a house fire in Belgrave Road in Central Keighley, 
(a very high risk area). 

As we have explained before a house fire with persons reported requires the attendance of THREE pumps. Keighley duly turned out, followed by Silsden.  The third pump should have come from either Keighley or Silsden but both have had them removed by WYFRS. 

The third pump had to come all the way from Shipley  (which is also due to close soon!)  

Using the RAC routefinder  Shipley Fire Station   to Belgrave Road is 6.96 miles and takes 17 minutes, so even if you half it to  8.5 minutes for being able to put your foot down and blue light it all the way,  it is still  4.42 minutes over the current predicted response time for Keighley Central.


And not two days later the second fire with persons reported was in Branby Avenue (Keighley East - a high risk area)

Not just one person this time but an entire family who required oxygen therapy at the scene of the fire. This fire was attended by Keighley and BIngley.   It was more than good luck got the family out,,,,,, the dishwasher  ignited (we assume an electrical fault) and  caused the fuse box to trip the main switch. This set the burglar alarm off which woke the occupants of the house. As the kitchen door was shut the smoke alarm did not sound until the kitchen door was opened. This family have had a very lucky escape. 

And not a fire but a road traffic accident in Keighley on the 20th March  - sadly  two people died  and one was cut free by Keighley crews - no mention of this either on the incident log. 

So 

THREE INCIDENTS IN KEIGHLEY  - NOT ONE MENTION 


WHY ? 

well we have it on good authority senior staff at Keighley have said 

And there is only one response to that 

 We at FCCL think with a little help from our friends we will learn of more invisible incidents that never make the public logs. You would think that WYFRS would be proud to demonstrate what they do, instead of hiding brave men and womens deeds because it messes up their highly manipulated figures. 

Accountability & Openness

In the  Code of Conduct 

we found these two definitions 

ACCOUNTABILITY: Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

OPENNESS: Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

So  as tomorrow is the last day of "consultation" we here at FCCL will be sending an email  next Monday to every member of the fire authority and senior members of the management team at WYFRS  asking them (in the spirit of openness and accountability of course ) what they have done in regard of promoting the consultation process. 

How many public / private meetings have they organised ?

How many public / private meetings have they attended ? 

How many emails  they have had from constituents in opposition (or favour) of the proposed cuts in provision?

But sadly we are prepared to be bitterly disappointed - we suspect that many will simply not reply - some such  as Cllr Gil Thornton & MP Hilary Benn will even show contempt and delete our emails unread.  (in which case we will have to FOI them for the information ). 

But it does already seem that deals are being done behind closed doors.............

BUT 

the tail you can see disappearing is that of the station cat at Haworth  -  station cat reported that last night her fire station had a very special visitor, its so interesting we have posted the whole message below.  

"Deputy Chief Steve Beckley at Haworth last night; Told them that Keighley is to lose a pump in April and Haworth will be staying open for the time being. What happened to the consultation process? Mr Beckley is the Deputy who has taken his pension but stayed on, so he now gets £60,000 salary and £60,000 pension, taking him back up to his original £120,000. He will also be drawing interest on his half a million lump sum at the same time, so another £10,000 there. Could he be the best part time employee in the county? "

YES - we think he probably is !!!
(this scheme is NOT open to ordinary fire fighters btw) 


With information like this - its no wonder we at FCCL get cross - we have of course emailed Simon Pilling to ask if this is TRUE - for a start was DFO Beckley at Keighley last night would be a good place to start.   


BUT it seems that deals are already being done ------  without the consultation process even finishing..................   


anyway for nearly the last time (well till next year) 



IF YOU OBJECT TO THE CUTS PLEASE

Email Hannah Stoneman (HERE) 

(And don’t forget to copy in your MP, 

Local Councillor, 

Fire authority members, 

see the Contacts list for their E-mail addresses HERE

Or Write to her Here:-

Hannah Stoneman

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

Oakroyd Hall

Bradford Road

Birkenshaw

West Yorkshire

BD11 2DY