Firemen's wives reject full-time move

In bewilderment, I would like to respond to your article "Shake up of fire brigade means more firefighters for Craven'(November 19). I was very proud on November 12, yet now I feel that the fire brigade has kicked us all in the teeth.

The article in its general tone implied that the retained crew is in some way letting its community down by failing to provide a service and having a community that was at risk because of them. I can't tell you how the rest of the men and their families feel at this time, but I should imagine a little like second-class citizens.

"The brigade has decided that our community is at risk". What evidence is the brigade using to corroborate this fact? Where are the complaints? Where are the figures and statistics to prove that the retained crews do not meet the set criteria laid down by the brigade?

Is a whole time crew guaranteed to be in the Skipton area during the day? Will they not be expected to cover the whole of Craven as the title suggests, addressing fire prevention as part of their normal working day, and if they are, will they be taking one of the two pumps with them? Won't our community be at even more 'risk' as they have to rely on the retained to turn out, perhaps with one pump down?

What statistics is the brigade using to show us that that there are more fire calls through the day than there are during 'non working hours'?

As someone who lives a fireman's wife life I think that I can make an educated guess by saying that approximately half of the calls are actually during the evening and at night.

I chuckled when I read "A better service to the community for roughly the same financial input."

Are we not able to add up simple figures? To the best of my knowledge a whole time fire fighter receives an annual salary in excess of £22,000, times this by a crew of 12 and the total minimum figure is £264,000 every year, just to provide 9 to 5 cover. What is the annual wage of an equivalent retained crew covering 24/7 at Skipton now? Where is the Best Value that is suggested to be at the core of the brigade's priorities?

Is it not true that due to changes pending at Harrogate Station, the brigade is 'bulldozing' these firefighters to Skipton through the day to avoid any massive redundancy payouts? Some Skipton retained families will suffer financially due to this massive increase in cost to Craven, disguised in the pretence of a brigade number crunching exercise.

I have no argument with the crews in Harrogate, I am sure that they are very professional and are as dedicated to the service as the retained in Skipton, but they probably won't have much local knowledge and more than likely don't want to be re-deployed anyway.

I beg The Craven Herald as the voice of the community to lend its weight to a fair and well-balanced consultation period. The questions that need to be asked are endless.

I would like the brigade to publicise when it will be holding public meetings to allow our community to address these issues.

I sincerely hope that the brigade returns the loyalty of the retained firefighters in Skipton and the Craven area.

A good start would be to use relevant data to corroborate their findings when trying to influence the community by making such brash comments as they have in this article.

Bobby Cokell,

Pinhaw Road, Skipton.

SIR - I would like the community which the retained Skipton firemen have served so well to hear a different view point on how this will affect our family and personal lives.

My husband joined North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in 1993 just as we were awaiting the arrival of our first child.

When joining Skipton station we both gave the commitment to the brigade wholeheartedly and in turn we gained a new 'family'. We have shared many personal and private moments with each member of the team at the station (both past & present members included).

All our married life we have been part of the brigade, and in turn all three of our children have been born into the brigade and accepted its many restrictions that come with my husband being a retained firefighter.

All our husbands and partners have full time jobs. When they return from their place of work they are then available for 'on call duty' as firefighters via a bleeper system which is in operation 24/7; they may be called out at any time and are required to respond within the three minute period, never knowing what or where they may be responding to.

They have attended some traumatic, and life changing incidents over the years, and most of them happen whilst the public are safely sleeping totally unaware.

This is a huge commitment on their behalf, but in my opinion is an even greater commitment for the wives and children to undertake, as they literately put their lives "on hold" until the firefighters return home after they have witnessed some horrific scenes and are expected to step back into "home life" once again, awaiting the next call.

We do cope with each situation very well and many times I have been stranded in a restaurant whilst celebrating a special occasion, or we have been at a fire brigade function (which is always held within close proximity to the station) and again deserted when the bleepers go off.

Through time we have adjusted our lives unconditionally to accommodate the fire service and when I read such responses as we will only be concerned in losing some money, this makes me very cross that the brigade can respond so flippantly to such an upheaval in our way of life. I cannot explain fully how this saddens me to hear that the Lads at the station have not been considered for the positions that are proposed, as they have served the community all these years doing the exact jobs which are in question, with exemplary records, and if only given the opportunity will continue to do so.

Sylvia Graham,

Burnside Avenue, Skipton.

SIR - I was saddened to read of the proposals to upgrade Skipton fire station to be partly manned full time.

Apart from during the war years, when the auxiliary fire service manned Skipton full time, Skipton has always been a part time retained fire brigade.

I joined Skipton fire service as a retained fireman in 1951 and, as far as I know, all those who were in the brigade when I joined have died, which makes me the oldest surviving Skipton fireman.

The first motorised fire engine was a Leyland with motorised tyres and big brass lamps, first bought by Skipton Urban District Council in 1924 for the princely sum of £1,200.

It eventually had pneumatic tyres fitted and electric lights, the crew stood on running boards each side and held on to the ladder and a big brass bell told you it was coming. It was a cold ride at night.

Before the war the alarm for a fire was I believe at the Ship Corner and you broke the glass panel and pressed a button which set off the buzzer at Skipton gas works calling the men to the station, which was situated at the bottom of Lower Commercial Street where the college hair salon on Coach Street is now.

Modern fire appliances were eventually brought in, the air raid type siren on top of the fire station then called the firemen during the day and house bells at night, which when they went off, woke the neighbours up never mind the firemen.

I served for 15 years and we the retained brigade attended many big fires, including Rycroft's Mill down Broughton Road where 23 machines attended and a mill in Keighley where eight people died.

We were expected to do just the same as the full timers and you could not tell the difference between us.

The pay is much different nowadays. When I joined it was 7d (3p) a turnout and 2/6 (121/2p) an hour after that.

We got a lot of barn fires but the only car accident I went to was a Mini Copper that tried to argue with a Bradford wool wagon on its way to Scotland in Gargrave High Street.

In those days we had no power equipment, unlike today, and we had to use hacksaws and hammers

We know time has to move on but I don't care who you get at the fire station, none will be more willing to serve the public than the retained crews have done, and they don't want to get home at the end of their shift. They stay until the end.

Stanley Phillips,

Keighley Road, Skipton.

SIR - I refer to a passage in your edition of November 19 'In Brief column', under the heading 'Lights Reassurance'.

I note that the Mayor of Skipton, Coun Marcia Turner, (as promised to me) raised the question of the stage lighting in the Town Hall being defective during a performance of "Oliver" on Thursday October 7.

I also note the ignorant reply by the leader of the council, "That he was quite satisfied that the lights were safe."

May I say that I am not satisfied that the lights are functioning efficiently.

I was most embarrassed, on that night, when I was responsible for entertaining nine presidents and their escorts, plus the mayor of Skipton and her consort, and two NODA representatives, by the start of the show being delayed for a quarter of an hour by the failure of the orchestra and stage lighting, which then failed four or five times during the performance.

The lighting may be safe (quite understandably when they are not lit) but something requires investigation when they keep failing during a show.

This sort of thing invites criticism of my society and adds to our difficulties of getting "bums on Seats" for future shows, and I thank Coun Turner for drawing attention to the situation. I hope she will press for further action in this matter which I know is supported by our efficient electrician (a former mayor of Skipton).

May I ask Coun Lis to think again before our next show or compensate us.

James Surr,

President,

Skipton and District Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society

SIR - I do not wish to prolong the death agonies of the Podiatry Clinic but after reading Janet Probert's letter (Craven Herald, November 19) it seems to me the PCT does not even inform its own staff what is going on never mind the public they serve.

Firstly no consultation was done. In June clients received letters telling them they would have to travel to Skipton for the service. They were not asked if it would inconvenience them or if they had any concerns.

Secondly councillors and public were not invited to meetings by the PCT. It was Craven District Council and Glusburn Parish Council which organised meetings and notified the public, then asked the PCT to come and listen to the complaints.

Thirdly the alternative building proposed by the parish council is not a portable building but a well made prefabricated one which would have been sited next to the clinic and would have provided facilities for the PCT staff thus leaving the elderly patients to use the facilities in the clinic.

Fourthly is Judy Goddard going to organise transport for Cowling residents, who now have two buses to catch in all weathers to get to Skipton? Is Judy Goddard going to pay our pensioners bus or taxi fares to get to Skipton? I very much doubt it on past evidence.

As a long serving councillor I heard many excuses and promises from public bodies, which were not kept. Leaflets are not welcome, action is.

Margaret Nicholson,

Jessamine Place, Crosshills.

SIR - I should like to offer many congratulations to the young people who received their Duke of Edinburgh's awards on Friday evening, and to all those who worked with them to make their achievements possible.

The guest speaker spoke movingly about his involvement with the scheme, including his memories of going to Buckingham Palace to see awards being presented by Prince Philip himself.

However, why did he feel it necessary to preface this by saying "I'm not a royalist, but..." - as if there were something demeaning about meeting the man who is the founder of the scheme which the speaker has worked for over many years!

This puts one in mind of those people who, before making any statement (however innocuous) about religion say "Of course I'm not religious" as if their street cred would be irretrievably damaged by the suspicion that they actually believe in something.

SM Broadhead,

Gladstone Street, Skipton.

SIR - May I ask Craven District and North Yorkshire County Councils what they are doing with our council taxes? This question has been raised following situations observed during a long weekend near Dalbeattie in Dumfries and Galloway.

The two areas are very similar in area and population; North Yorkshire probably has a slightly larger population, and consists of large rural areas interspersed with small towns and villages. I do not know the level of taxes paid in Dumfries and Galloway but it is certainly providing a much better standard of service from observations made.

In Skipton recently, on Gargrave Road, I saw a team of council employed workers dealing with fallen leaves. These were being taken off the footpath by using a portable blower to blow them on to the road where, when wet, they became a danger to two wheel riders. In Kirkcudbright the same situation was dealt with by collecting and bagging the leaves and taking them away for composting.

In Skipton, Hellifield, Horton in Ribblesdale, Settle, and similar towns public toilets, in general, stink, are vandalised and covered in graffiti. In many cases they appear not to have been cleaned for weeks. Toilet paper is a rarity and soap and water for washing is generally notable by its absence.

The public toilets used in various towns and villages in Dumfries and Galloway were, without exception, fresh, un-vandalised and graffiti free. All had toilet paper available, in most cases with spare rolls to hand, and in one notable case the soap for washing was in the form of normal blocks of toilet soap left on the wash basins. These were all toilet blocks on public car parks open 24 hours a day.

These may be small things but add these to streets cleaner than ours, free car parking, clearly marked out car parks and well maintained roads and the question is why do we pay such exorbitant levels of council tax and why do we need a town manager? Perhaps someone knows, it would be nice to find out.

John B. Cuthbert,

Sharphaw Avenue, Skipton.

SIR - I strongly object to the Craven Herald putting words into my mouth (article about the party laying a wreath on Buckden Pike, November 19).

At no time did I state that "had I known Mr Mason would be coming back to the pub to eat that I would happily let him park his car". In fact this information would not have made the slightest difference to my decision.

The number of times that people have made this claim, then returned to their car without ever entering the pub makes it a difficult statement to believe.

I find it strange that we know nothing about Mr Mason's "regular meal". Most large parties have the foresight (and courtesy) to ring ahead and let us know of such events. An influx of 25 people descending on us, on what is one of our busiest sessions of the week, would have made quite a difference (especially as our dining room only seats 16 people).

It is Mr Mason's right to choose to go to Buckden Pike to lay a wreath on Remembrance Sunday. It is however my right to choose not to have our private car park used by people who are not actually in the pub.

I shall quite understand if Mr Mason decides to boycott the Fox and Hounds next year. It might leave more room for our genuine customers, who patronise us on a more regular basis.

Eileen Senior,

Fox and Hounds, Starbotton.

Editor's note: We apologise if Ms Senior feels we misrepresented her. We were under the impression she had struck a conciliatory tone responding to a complaint from the wreath layers. Clearly we were wrong and apologise.

SIR - May I through your letters column thank the brave lads who robbed several residents of a sheltered housing complex.

I just hope that when they look at their own parents and grandparents they see the trusting faces of those old people looking back.

Obviously too idle to do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay they prey on targets they can be sure will not fight back. That shows courage don't you think?

I think that I can safely say that they would not attempt a robbery where there was any chance of the victims standing up to them.

In this case some of the victims could not even stand unaided.

I would ask that if anyone has any idea who these heroes are they will think about their own grandparents or parents in a similar situation and call Skipton Police.

One day, maybe well into the future, these pathetic excuses for human beings will develop a conscience and regret what they have done - but I sincerely doubt it

Name and address supplied.