Firefighters now forced to use food banks, says chief fire officer

Firefighters in Bristol are turning to food banks because of the cost of living crisis, Avon Fire and Rescue chief fire officer has revealed.

Simon Shilton has warned the situation for fire service staff is likely to worsen as the energy price cap is set to be hiked in October.  This figure is an 80 per cent rise on the current cap of £1,971.

On Tuesday, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) announced 32,500 of its members will vote in the next few weeks on whether to launch a campaign of industrial action – a decision Shilton said firefighters in Bristol “do not take lightly”.

In a statement, he outlined his “serious worries” for the welfare of staff and the “disproportionate” pay they are receiving as a major cost of living crisis grips the nation.

Chief Fire Officer Simon Shilton (@spshilton) has issued a statement commenting on concerns for the welfare of staff & the measures they are resorting to due to the increased cost of living & the disproportionate pay they receive.

Read the full statement: https://t.co/x5cAfl9LwA pic.twitter.com/1A2ut3OpHD

— Avon Fire & Rescue Service (@AvonFireRescue) September 7, 2022

“I have always been proud to be part of the UK Fire and Rescue Service and none more so than as the leader of Avon Fire & Rescue Service,” Shilton wrote.

“My staff work hard and it’s only fair they deserve to be appropriately remunerated for the invaluable job they do and role they play in society.

“As a service, our mission is to improve public safety through prevention, protection, response and resilience; providing the highest standard and best value service to the community we serve.

In a statement, the Home Office said: “Central government has no role in setting firefighter pay in England, as it is the responsibility of the National Joint Council which consists of representatives from both the employers’ and employees’ side.

“Firefighters work tirelessly to protect our communities and it is essential they are paid fairly for the important work they undertake. At the same time, any decision on pay must be justifiable to the taxpayer.”

The FBU said potential strikes would follow a 2 per cent pay offer made in June, which has not been increased despite the rising rate of inflation.

Bristol’s chief fire officer added: “All our staff deserve a properly funded pay rise in line with the increasing cost of living and in line with those offered to other public sector services.

“Unfortunately, the pay afforded to fire and rescue service staff has not reflected the roles within the Service for some time.

As a result, Shilton explained that the number of applications the service is receiving is on the decline – leading to hurdles in recruiting and retaining staff.

He said that, “despairingly”, staff are having to access food banks to get by.

A strike of firefighters would follow a wave of industrial action this summer by tens of thousands of workers – including rail workers in the South West – photo: Betty Woolerton

“I know for many, taking part in industrial action is not a decision they will be taking lightly,” Shilton commented.

“When I speak to staff, they will tell me that they do it for the love of the job, because they care about the future of their local communities and ultimately, they want to keep people safe from harm.

“But as we’re already seeing, this doesn’t pay the bills or put food on the table and staff should be able to do this job, support their families and their communities.”

Bristol, along with many parts of the UK, has been swept by industrial action taken by employees in rail, caring, courts, media and more, angry that pay rises being offered fail to match their rising food and energy bills.

Main photo: Avon Fire and Rescue

Read next:

• Journalists in Bristol go on strike in pay dispute
• ‘People are struggling’: Voices from the rail strike
• More than 10 bus services to stop as Bristol Community Transport ceases operations
• The invisible gap: How the cost of living crisis is affecting people in Bristol

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