Hot issue (From Warrington Guardian)

Hot issue

I RECENTLY received a draft report and questionnaire about the fire brigade and it horrified me.

The Brigade wants to reduce manpower, vehicle size and change working practices.

Vehicles are being downsized from, grown-up Dennis 113, to dinky toys, such as the L4P. These will be used for small fires such as rubbish or chip pan fires.

Since Halton Council is reducing the size of its wheely bins, the brigade will have many more dumped rubbish bag fires to handle.

The brigade has altered the B risk rating of Runcorn and Widnes.

Runcorn has been elevated to A (city) status, which means two fire engines in five minutes and another eight minutes later.

Widnes has been degraded to D (sleepy backwater village) status, which means one fire engine will turn up, eventually.

I am surprised the brigade backs the council for an expensive bridge across the local BAYOU, to a village, it rates so lowly.

B Cunningham, Pex Hill, Widnes