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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| EU threat to retained fire crews | EU threat to retained fire crews |
| (about 23 hours later) | |
| Scotland's fire service is under threat from EU working hours regulations, according to a senior fire officer. | Scotland's fire service is under threat from EU working hours regulations, according to a senior fire officer. |
| MEPs have been criticised for ending the UK "opt out" of the Working Time Directive, which prevents people from working more than 48 hours a week. | MEPs have been criticised for ending the UK "opt out" of the Working Time Directive, which prevents people from working more than 48 hours a week. |
| Grampian Chief Fire Officer David Dalziel said the rules would prevent fire stations using retained staff. | Grampian Chief Fire Officer David Dalziel said the rules would prevent fire stations using retained staff. |
| In Scotland, most fire stations are staffed by part-time fire fighters who have other jobs. | In Scotland, most fire stations are staffed by part-time fire fighters who have other jobs. |
| Mr Dalziel said restrictions on how long people can work could spell the end of the retained service and jeopardise safety. | Mr Dalziel said restrictions on how long people can work could spell the end of the retained service and jeopardise safety. |
| It would also have a huge cost implication with budgets soaring to pay for more full-time staff, he claimed. Surely it is wrong that the law of unintended consequences should be allowed to leave some communities without effective fire cover in this way Alistair CarmichaelOrkney and Shetland MP | |
| The Fire Brigades Unions claimed Mr Dalziel was "scaremongering". | The Fire Brigades Unions claimed Mr Dalziel was "scaremongering". |
| Scotland's chief fire officers are to lobby the government and MEPs over their concerns. | Scotland's chief fire officers are to lobby the government and MEPs over their concerns. |
| Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael said 321 of Scotland's 391 fire stations were staffed by part-time retained fire fighters. | Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael said 321 of Scotland's 391 fire stations were staffed by part-time retained fire fighters. |
| "A strict application of the directive will mean that they may often be left unable to provide the necessary cover", he said. | "A strict application of the directive will mean that they may often be left unable to provide the necessary cover", he said. |
| "The stark fact is that in many of our remoter communities we simply don't have the critical mass of population that is required to maintain a full-time service. | "The stark fact is that in many of our remoter communities we simply don't have the critical mass of population that is required to maintain a full-time service. |
| "Surely it is wrong that the law of unintended consequences should be allowed to leave some communities without effective fire cover in this way." | "Surely it is wrong that the law of unintended consequences should be allowed to leave some communities without effective fire cover in this way." |
| The EU working time directives are to come to effect in the UK in three years' time. | |
| Coastguards and the RNLI will also assess the implications. |