Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to take extra care when planned industrial action by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) means that resources will be significantly reduced. The union has proposed industrial action from 6 pm on Friday 31 October until 6 pm on Tuesday 4 November 2014 as part of its on-going dispute with the government over pensions. Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service has contingency plans in place to ensure 999 calls are responded to during industrial action, but the response times to incidents will be slower than usual. Businesses also need to be aware of the reduced level of cover, which means that Automatic Fire Alarms will not be responded to unless followed up with a 999 call stating there is a genuine emergency. Business owners should also review their Fire Risk Assessments in light of the reduced resources and ensure they have plans in place should an emergency occur. The public and business community are advised that: - 999 calls will be responded to by trained firefighters, but resources will be significantly lower than usual; you should therefore only call 999 if its a genuine emergency. - The Service will NOT respond to Automatic Fire Alarms during industrial action unless it is followed up with a 999 call stating that there is a genuine emergency. In the event of an actual fire, businesses with premises where fire alarms go direct to a collecting station should carry out a full evacuation and dial 999 to report it. - Businesses whose premises have Automatic Fire Alarms and no staff based there, may want to consider placing staff onsite in case of fire. Following the six steps to safety will help ensure you and your family are protected from fire: 1. Ensure smoke alarms are correctly installed and tested regularly 2. Make an escape plan and ensure everyone at home knows about it 3. Establish a regular bedtime routine and stick to it 4. Ensure electrical goods are used properly and serviced regularly 5. Take care when cooking, particularly when using hot fat 6. Ensure cigarettes and other smoking materials are extinguished fully For more information visit notts-fire.gov.uk/
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 12:10:05 +0000