Andrew Dismore

24 June 2013

Dear Editor,

Mayor Boris Johnson’s fire brigade cuts plan continues to fall apart as more facts were revealed just as the deadline for responses to the consultation closed.

At the State of London event (12/6/13) Boris Johnson said:

“what we are doing is bringing  more parts of London within the minimum journey times both for the first and second fire appliance .“

– a claim he repeated at last week’s Mayor’s Question Time and which is clearly now seen to be bogus .

Whilst we already had found out that Belsize ward will see first attendance times increase by over 4.5 minutes to 7.59 along with 6 other Camden wards going over the 6 minute target, what is new is that we have now established  that across London no fewer than 43 wards presently inside the 6 minutes target time will  go over , whilst a mere three wards come down to within the 6 minute target from outside it, all  in Richmond.

Moreover, comparing those three Richmond wards with only  three of the Camden wards  going over the 6 minutes -Gospel Oak, Hampstead Town and Haverstock- there were over three times as many incidents- 10,534 to 3,265 in last 10 years in Camden and even  worse, six times  as many fire  deaths.  This means that Fire Stations like Clerkenwell and Belsize which serve the busiest boroughs are to be cut, so as to boost attendance times in areas of less demand!

And also at long last the Fire Brigade finally released the figures for three pump (i.e. more serious) fires, often in high rise.

In 2001/12, as many as 879 incidents in Camden needed a 3rd (or more) appliance in attendance, representing 14.1% of the overall total of incidents attended. The consequences of Boris Johnson’s fire cuts plan will mean that for similar incidents on average, we will see an extra 55 seconds for the third pump to arrive, an increase in time of 12.3%.

This is on top of the highest increase in London for attendance times in Camden for the first fire engine of 45 seconds, with 7 wards now falling well outside the 6 minute target for first attendance. It can be expected that at local  ward level the consequences of the 3^rd pump  delay will be even more striking, especially those with more high rise buildings.

Camden has a peculiar and unique mix of fire risk, which is reflected by the need for so many 3rd pump (or more) incidents. These risks include not just high rise residential properties and business premises and the density of residential occupation, but special risks like three major rail termini and teaching hospitals, as well as cultural centres like our museums and galleries  of  international reputation, universities and their halls of residence,  and a huge  number of listed buildings

These additional delays in attendance are unacceptable and Boris Johnson must withdraw his dangerous fire service cuts scheme.

 

Andrew Dismore AM

Labour London Assembly member for Camden and Barnet