Firefighters Strike 2 - 4 May

Residents across Cumbria are being urged to take extra fire safety steps to protect themselves and their loved ones when firefighters go on strike.

During industrial action, set to take place between 12 noon - 5pm on Friday 2 May, 2pm - 2am on Saturday 3 May and 10am - 3pm on Sunday 4 May, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) is asking people in the county to minimise the risks of fire and avoid making unnecessary 999 calls.

The strike, called by the Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) in response to a dispute with the Government over proposed changes to firefighter pensions, means CFRS will be operating a reduced emergency response when industrial action takes place and is going to be unable to provide the comprehensive level of cover residents in Cumbria can usually expect.

While 999 calls will continue to be answered as normal, CFRS response to incidents where life is considered to be in danger will be prioritised. Although the service will try to attend all emergency calls, on occasion some incidents where life is not considered to be at immediate risk such as small fires and automatic fire alarms may receive a reduced or even no response. It’s therefore vital that residents do all they can to prevent fires breaking out.


Valerie Ayre (Cumbria Fire & Rescue, Administrator, Cumbria)