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| Fire control staffing criticised | Fire control staffing criticised |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said it is alarmed only five night operators are to be based at the new South West control centre when it opens. | The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said it is alarmed only five night operators are to be based at the new South West control centre when it opens. |
| The centre will take 999 calls from Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Avon, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. | The centre will take 999 calls from Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Avon, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. |
| Nine operators will cover day duties, but the FBU said five at night was too low to deal with such a large area. | Nine operators will cover day duties, but the FBU said five at night was too low to deal with such a large area. |
| South West Fire Control said the figures related to 2012, not July 2010 when the Taunton centre is due to open. | |
| It is unthinkable that so few control operators are to be available for an area almost the same size as Belgium John Drake, FBU | It is unthinkable that so few control operators are to be available for an area almost the same size as Belgium John Drake, FBU |
| John Drake FBU regional secretary, said: "A single night time incident in the South West involving more than 10 fire appliances could take up much of the time of all five control operators. | John Drake FBU regional secretary, said: "A single night time incident in the South West involving more than 10 fire appliances could take up much of the time of all five control operators. |
| "There are fewer incidents at night, but the fires tend to be more advanced and more likely to kill. | "There are fewer incidents at night, but the fires tend to be more advanced and more likely to kill. |
| "It is unthinkable that so few control operators are to be available for an area almost the same size as Belgium." | "It is unthinkable that so few control operators are to be available for an area almost the same size as Belgium." |
| He said the project was a "poor replacement" for the current system and should be scrapped. | He said the project was a "poor replacement" for the current system and should be scrapped. |
| 'Tested constantly' | 'Tested constantly' |
| But Julie Burnett, chief executive of South West Fire Control, said the staffing figures related to 2012. | But Julie Burnett, chief executive of South West Fire Control, said the staffing figures related to 2012. |
| "The final staffing numbers for steady state will not be decided until 2012 and will be reviewed and tested constantly until then," she said. | "The final staffing numbers for steady state will not be decided until 2012 and will be reviewed and tested constantly until then," she said. |
| The new centre will meet the performance standard of answering 95% of all calls in five seconds, she added. | The new centre will meet the performance standard of answering 95% of all calls in five seconds, she added. |
| "The proposed rota system focuses on providing operators to take calls at the times of highest need, related to the call volumes received." | "The proposed rota system focuses on providing operators to take calls at the times of highest need, related to the call volumes received." |
| The government said centralised services are more efficient at co-ordinating efforts during large-scale emergencies, are cheaper to run and will eventually save millions of pounds. | The government said centralised services are more efficient at co-ordinating efforts during large-scale emergencies, are cheaper to run and will eventually save millions of pounds. |