Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Kemptown, Nancy Platts is urging people to sign a petition and speak out against cuts to the fire service in East Sussex that she says will put lives at risk.
If cost cutting measures get the go ahead she says a fire engine will be lost from either Preston Circus or Hove fire stations
A consultation document indicates that removing an engine from Preston Circus could mean one extra person dying every 5.3 years in the area, if the appliance is cut from Hove that would mean an extra fatality every 9.1 years.
Nancy has launched the petition and is urging people to take part while there is still time.
She said: “People will be astounded to know the consultation document claims there will be no significant impact on predicted fatalities. I believe that one extra death is one too many, if these cuts go ahead it will mean the unluckiest lottery of all.
“We all need to know that if we have to call 999 we will get the help we need, this consultation document shows that won’t happen for everyone.
“There are only five fire engines for the whole of Brighton and Hove, these proposals would take one away at a time when our population is growing and more properties are being built.”
All Labour members of the fire authority have committed to voting against the extreme cuts to the fire service but Tory, Liberal Democrat, Green and UKIP councillors have either voted in favour of consultation on this plan or have expressed no view against the cuts.
The Fire Brigades Union has also put forward alternative suggestions about possible savings that would keep the fire engines in place.
To contact your councillor and ask them to save the fire service, CLICK HERE:
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