Crisis calls putting pressure on fire service

Shropshire's fire chief has said a "steady increase" in 999 calls to help people in crisis is putting emotional and financial pressure on the service.

Simon Hardiman said on average three to five calls per week were from people in crisis - many involving people in the water or at risk of entering the rivers - with a number of those calls being for the same individuals more than once.

He added that this "new type of trauma event for our staff" meant that the service was giving "negotiator-type" training.

"Fire fighters are often the first on the scene which can be traumatic for them," he said.

"Seeing someone in crisis, either in the water or a risk of entering the water, is a different type of trauma to witnessing the results of a fatal road collision or a fire," he said.

"We are asking whether we are preparing our staff in advance for what they might face," said Hardiman.

The service has policies for helping its staff cope with the stresses it places on them and individuals trained to help cope with trauma.

Hardiman also said there was also a gap in funding affecting the service.

"In two years we have spend more than £100,000 on our water rescue capability," he said.

"But we have only received £1,800 in funding for it which is not enough to buy a dry suit.

"There is no legal requirement for us to attend water incidents, but we have a absolute moral and human requirement to do so."

He added that the service would never not turn its crews out, but said the issue needed to be picked up nationally.

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