In order to celebrate it’s 50th year in action, Lincoln South fire station held a special open day on Friday, August 8 with demonstrations, charity events and performances.

Construction of the headquarters and fire station began on South Park Avenue in Lincoln in 1962, and the Lincoln City Fire Brigade moved in in May 1964.

Over the last 50 years, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue has grown and developed, and the Lincoln South station has remained important to the county.

Visitors on the day enjoyed rescue displays from the Drill Tower, rescue dog displays and charity events such as name-the-bear and a raffle.

Also raising money for charity was local strongman Dave Johnson, who pulled along an 18-tonne fire engine.

Dave was fundraising in aid of The Ethan Maull ‘Up Yours To Cancer!’ Foundation and The Fire Fighters Charity. Ethan passed away on May 5 after loosing his battle with cancer.

The fire engine pull was organised in order to raise awareness of cancer.

Dave has taken part in a number of fundraising events in the past including pulling a 16-tonne fire truck through St Marks in Lincoln in 2013 and a car deadlift challenge in 2014.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can still do so on Dave’s JustGiving page.

Commemoration flypast cancelled

A scheduled historic flypast from the last two airworthy Lancaster warplanes and the Red Arrows was threatened when stormy weather conditions set in.

After an hour delay was confirmed, the heavens then opened over the fire station and Lincoln’s flypast was cancelled and the rest of the fun day postponed.

As part of Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Flight (BBMF) events in Lincolnshire this summer, Lincolnshire’s Lancaster was expected to be joined by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM)’s prized Avro Lancaster as it completed it’s north Atlantic crossing.

Lincolnshire’s Lancaster could not depart from Conningsby and the Canadian aircraft flew straight to the air field for landing.

Rewind the days events by visiting our Liveblog here.

Lincolnshire firefighters tackled two straw bale fires near Lincoln overnight.

Police are investigating any possible link between the two incidents, and are treating them as arson.

At 8.38pm Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to straw bale stack fire off A158 at Wragby.

Crews from Lincoln North, Wragby and Bardney attended and extinguished the fire using hosereels.

Then, just after 9.10pm on Tuesday, August 12, firefighters attended another straw bale stack fire on B1241 Normanby Road in Stow, near Saxilby.

Crews from Lincoln South, Saxilby and Gainsborough also extinguished the fire with hosereels.

No one was injured in either of the incidents.

20:38 -Crews from Wragby, Bardney and Lincoln North attending a stack fire, A158,Wragby. Being extinguished using hosereels.

— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) August 12, 2014

21:12-Crews from Saxilby,Lincoln South & Gainsborough attending a stack fire, Normanby Rd,Stow nr Saxilby.Being extinguished using hosereels

— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) August 12, 2014

Firefighters had to release a man and a woman trapped in a toilet block in Lincoln at the weekend.

The incident happened at 1am on Saturday, August 17, at a wedding venue off Skellingthorpe Road.

A man and a woman became trapped in a toilet block at the premises, as the lock on the door was stuck on both sides.

The Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue crew from Saxilby attended the incident. They released the two people using Homaltro spreaders.

Both the man and the woman were unhurt following the incident.

01:00 – Saxilby used Holmatro spreaders to release 2 people trapped in a toilet block at a premise off Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln.

— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) August 17, 2014

A group of young cadets from Lincoln have taken part in the UK’s “Toughest Young Fire Crew” challenge.

Teams from six fire services across the country took part in the event designed to challenge the skills of young firefighters.

A group of six teenagers represented Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue finished second in the competition, closely behind hosts and winners Essex. 

The cadets were put through their paces as they worked as a team to rescue casualties trapped in vehicles and buildings. 

They also went head-to-head in tasks using firefighting equipment and spotting fire hazards through home fire safety checks.

Mark Bennett, youth engagement officer for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “This is the first time our young cadets have entered a national competition so we are immensely proud of what they have achieved. 

“The cadets train every week and we teach them the same practical and technical skills that our firefighters have.

“If you are interested in becoming a firefighter when you are older this is a fantastic programme to get involved with and this result shows that we are developing our cadets as well as any other fire service in the country.”

The Lincoln Cadets train on Tuesday evenings from 7pm-9pm at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue HQ and the programme is open to all 14-17 year olds.

For more information about becoming a young firefighter please visit the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue website or call 01522 582296.

Three firefighter crews attended an electrical fire at Witham Wharf flats on Brayford Street in Lincoln on Friday morning.

The fire started near the top floor at around 6am on September 12 and the building was evacuated, with residents having to go in the NCP car park next to the block.

It’s unclear what caused the electrical fire at this stage, and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are investigating.

Residents at the lower floors were allowed in first, with the top floors later. Nobody was injured.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) will work more closely together to respond to serious emergencies as part of a new pilot.

Firefighters in Lincolnshire have started the 12-month pilot for the Joint Ambulance Conveyance Project (JACP) in Long Sutton.

The project aims to improve service and outcomes for patients by developing a complementary approach to ambulance provision in the county, and is run in partnership with EMAS and the first responders, LIVES.

Firefighters presently run a co-responder scheme where on-call firefighters from 21 stations will respond to medical emergencies too. They can do first aid, provide oxygen therapy and administer defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Now, as part of the pilot, Long Sutton’s co-responders will attend medical incidents in an ambulance vehicle. At the same time, an EMAS paramedic will respond in a fast response vehicle.

If the paramedic decides the patient needs to go to hospital, co-responders can now take them rather than having to wait for an ambulance.

Richard King, Watch Manager at Long Sutton, said: “The crew are fully on board with this pilot.

“By getting a patient to a hospital faster, we can really help those who are in a life threatening condition and increase their chance of survival.

“We have received additional medical training in preparation for the pilot which has further developed our skills. These can potentially be applied at every incident we attend.”

Steve Pratten, Community Response Manager for EMAS, added: “I have every confidence that this joint initiative will be a success. We will be closely monitoring the progress of the pilot and ensuring any lessons learned are fed back as appropriate.”

Nick Borrill, Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, commented: “We are now in the position to start testing the concept and are confident it will help improve outcomes for patients in Lincolnshire.

“The pilot will be run in three areas and we anticipate that it will start in Woodhall Spa next month and in Stamford by early November.”

Firefighters in Lincoln attended two fires in Birchwood overnight, a car set on fire on Halton Close, and wheelie bins on fire on Epsom Road.

The first incident Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to was a car on fire on Halton Close just after 10pm on Friday, September 19.

Eyewitnesses described the car on fire as a Ford Focus estate. Lincoln South crews extinguished the fire using two hose reel jets and one foam extinguisher.

Lincolnshire Police also attended and is investigating the incident.

Then, at around 5am on Saturday morning, firefighters were called to several wheelie bins on fire on Epsom Road, just a 200 yards walk down from the previous incident.

The Lincoln North crews extinguished the bins on fire using one hose reel jet.

Nobody was injured in either of the incidents.

Over 10 suspicious car fires in Lincoln this year alone

More than 10 vehicles have been set on fire in Lincoln so far this year, with several around the Birchwood area.

While Lincolnshire Police has been investigating many of these cases, the force has not reported any arrests in relation to the arson incidents.

Most recently, two flats on Westwick Drive were severely damaged by a fire which spread from a caravan parked outside the premises.

This was one of three fires in the area on the same night on June 30 that police are treating as arson.

In May this year, six cars were set on fire in the Birchwood area, with two on Halton Close and Sycamore Drive, three on Nightingale Crescent, and one on Fulmar Road.

Nearby, around Hartsholme Park, in April and May two cars were found set on fire after it’s believed they’ve been used or taken in burglaries.

There was also one car fire on Rasen Lane in the Ermine. In March there was a caravan fire on Browning Drive, off Nettleham Road.

Also in March, one car was completely burnt out while two others were damaged by a suspicious fire on Greyling Close in the Ermine.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to save a pregnant cow which had got its head trapped in concrete box.

Fire and Rescue’s Urban Search and Rescue Team attended the incident at around 10.30am at Gibraltar Point, near Skegness, on October 2.

The pregnant brown cow had got her head trapped in a concrete military pillbox, and was unable to free herself.

A vet attended to sedate the cow before firefighters began cutting around the cow to free her.

She was finally free just before 5.30pm, and walked away from her ordeal with no injuries.

Spencer Creek, Technical Rescue Manager for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “Compared to fighting fires this may seem a little bit strange, but because of the county’s rural nature animals do occasionally get into danger.

“Normally when this does happen they have become stuck in mud or water, so this was a bit different.

“With the cow trapped in the stone window it was actually causing swelling around its neck, so it was important we had the vet there to calm the animal so it wasn’t in distress.

“We will get involved in animal rescues if the incident is a medical emergency like this one, if it is physically trapped or if a member of the public has got into danger attempting a rescue themselves. In other instances, and for smaller animals, please call the RSPCA.”

Firefighters in Lincolnshire will take part in four days of strike action over further disputes regarding pensions.

The strike will begin at 6pm on October 31 until November 4 at 6pm.

Strike action has been called for by the Fire Bridge Union (FBU) as the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has not made any new offer on pensions after two months of talks.

The strike will be another in a long line of strike action for the union, which initially begin strike action in 2013.

Currently, a firefighter with the salary of less than £29,000 now pays around £4,000 a year for a pension.

Additionally, an academic report on firefighter fitness by the University of Bath contradicted the government’s unlikely expectation that firefighters should not be offered retirement until 60, where the report concluded that a much higher level of fitness is required for the strenuous job than that of an average 60-year-old.

The FBU would prefer for staff to retire at 55 with their full pension, rather than the required age of 60.

Presently, if a firefighter chooses to retire early due to fitness levels, they will not receive the full pension.

Dave Ramscar, Chief Fire Officer at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue has plans in place to ensure that we continue to provide an emergency response within the county.

“We accept that any planned industrial action will impact on our ability to deliver business as usual, but we are confident that the implementation of our plans will enable us to continue to answer 999 calls and to respond to incidents as quickly as possible.”

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “Firefighters are incandescent following two months of negotiations which have led to no new proposals.

“Firefighters will not stand by and see our members’ pension rights destroyed by a government which does not give a damn about the safety or wellbeing of firefighters.

“The public do not want 60-year-olds tackling fires. Everyone understands the stupidity of these plans – except government Ministers.

“We remain committed to resolving this dispute in the interests of our members and the public at large.”

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are asking residents to help improve the organisation’s response times by taking part in a consultation.

The process aims to improve service delivery across the county, whilst also taking into account changes to Fire & Rescue’s budget in 2015/16.

According to Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue’s response time map, presently Lincoln and surrounding villages, all major towns and large areas of the south of the county get a response to an incident of less than 10 minutes.

However, more rural areas have to wait 10-20 minutes before crews can attend their call out, with the worst affected ares on the coast between Mabletherpe and Cleethopes and the Wolds, which can take up to 30 minutes to reach.

The service wants to improve these times, but needs people’s views in working out the best way in which to do this.

The responses will help Fire & Rescue organise its priorities for the year ahead.

In the consulation, the service has six proposals:

• Proposal 1 – Potential Savings Options. As part of the County Council, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is not immune to the financial challenges faced by Local Government and the public sector in particular. Notwithstanding the significant savings already made by the County Council, there is a requirement to identify an additional £90 million worth of savings by 2018/19. In order to do that, the Council is conducting a fundamental review to assess its priorities against anticipated budgets. While it is assumed fire and rescue will remain a high priority service, the scale of the overall savings required are such that some reduction in the Service’s budget is necessary. This proposal considers potential savings options to meet anticipated budget reductions.
• Proposal 2 – Implementation of Alternative Crewing Arrangement for Retained Duty System (RDS) Stations. In order to make best use of our resources and continue to provide an effective service to the community, the Service undertook a trial around alternative crewing arrangements at some of our RDS stations. This looked at the feasibility of responding to certain types of incidents from a fire station if there were less than 4 firefighters available to crew the fire engine. This proposal is around introducing the Alternative Crewing Arrangement, operating within specific guidelines, as core business within the Service.
• Proposal 3 – Introduction of a Revised Response Standard for Dwelling Fires. Based on analysis of previous data it has become increasingly apparent that our current dwelling fire response standard is no longer appropriate. This proposal presents 2 alternative options for the way in which we set out our response standard to dwelling fires. The first option remains based on a response time expressed as an average percentage. The second option is based on the modelling of drive times and would be presented on a map of the County showing the areas covered by a 10,15 and 20 minute response by one of our fire engines. The map can be viewed below. It is important to recognise that neither option equates to a change in the number of fire engines or stations we have in the County.
• Proposal 4 – Introduction of a Revised Response Standard for Road Traffic Collisions. Similar to the above proposal, we believe there is a better way to present our response standard for road traffic collisions. This proposal presents 2 alternative options. The first option is to maintain the current standard; the second option is based on the modelling of drive times and would use the same map as mentioned above. Again, it is important to recognise that neither option equates to a change in the number of fire engines or stations we have in the County.
• Proposal 5 – Increase the number of Fire Stations which provide a Co-responder Service. We have been running a co-responder scheme, in partnership with East Midlands Ambulance Service and Lincolnshire Integrated Voluntary Emergency Service, since 1998. The scheme is delivered from 21 fire stations around the County and involves our on-call RDS firefighters responding to life-threatening medical emergencies within the home station’s immediate area. This proposal considers expanding the scheme to a further 5 RDS fire stations.
• Proposal 6 – Service Priorities for 2015/16. This proposal considers our operational and improvement priorities for 2015/16.

All feedback on 2015/16 is welcomed by Fire & Rescue, and can be given either via the online form, requesting a hard copy by calling 01522 582222 or emailing communications@lincoln.fire-uk.org.

There will also be public presentations around the county over the coming weeks, but these will be announced at a later date.

A light aircraft has crashed into a bungalow on a farm outside Castle Bytham, south of Grantham.

The crash occurred at around 2:08pm on November 19. The emergency services are on the scene including an air ambulance.

The road is closed at Counthorpe Lane.

Police say there was only a 73-year-old pilot on board the aircraft and he does not have life-threatening injuries.

It is not thought that anyone on the ground has been seriously injured.

Lincolnshire Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them via the 101 non-emergency number quoting incident number 244 of November 19, 2014.

14:11 Corby Glen & Grantham in attendance at a light airplane crash in Counthorpe. Pilot rescued by crews. Updates to follow.

— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) November 19, 2014

Update at 4.32pm: The pilot of the aircraft is a 73-year-old man from Thurnby, Leicestershire. He has been taken to Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, by air ambulance with a leg injury and other cuts and bruises, but his condition is not thought to be life-threatening. He was freed from the wreckage by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.

Meanwhile, a 52-year-old tanker driver who was making a delivery has been taken to a local hospital for minor cuts and bruises along with shock. The 61-year-old occupant of the bungalow was not injured.

Pilot airlifted to QMC Nottm. Leg injury not life-threatening. Two other men not seriously hurt. Scene now safe. Plane to be recovered.

— Lincolnshire Police (@lincspolice) November 19, 2014

The bungalow did not suffer any major structural damage.

The emergency services remain at the scene to ensure the wreckage and fuel from the plane are safe.

The Civil Aviation Authority is likely to launch an investigation into the incident.

Update at 4.39pm: The location of the incident:

— Developing story

An electrical fault is believed to be the cause behind a fire in Lincoln in the early hours of November 30.

The incident was attended by fire crews from Lincoln and Saxilby stations at around 2am at a flat above the Grapevine Off Licence on Burton Road.

Four fire crews attended the blaze, alongside police and an ambulance.

The blaze was extinguished after crews forced their way into the property, using two hose reels, six breathing apparatus and Cobra equipment.

However, the first floor flat and its contents were damaged, but the shop below suffered minor fire damage.

No-one was seriously injured in the blaze.

A 12-week consultation on the way fire and rescue services in Lincolnshire should be run in future has been launched, and members of the public will be asked for their views.

As previously reported, feedback is being sought on proposals surrounding budget reductions for 2015/16, crewing arrangements, response times and the number of fire stations providing a co-responder service.

Hard copies of the consultation documents can also be obtained by calling 01522 582222 or emailing communications@lincoln.fire-uk.org.

As well as taking the opportunity to respond to a public consultation document online, people can also attend public meetings to have their say on future plans.

The meetings, which all begin at 7pm will be:

• Tuesday, December 16 – Skegness Fire Station
• Wednesday, December 17 – Spalding Fire Station
• Thursday, December 18 – Christ Hospital School Hall, Wragby Road, Lincoln
• Tuesday, January, 6 – Boston Fire Station
• Wednesday, January 7 – Grantham Fire Station
• Thursday, January 8 – Gainsborough Fire Station

Lincolnshire firefighters will join a national 24-hour strike from 9am on Tuesday December 9 in an ongoing dispute over pensions.

The strike, which stands against almost three years of discussions and action, joins previous long lines of strike actions across the county.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) would prefer for staff to retire at 55 with their full pension, rather than the required age of 60.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “Firefighters in England are reluctantly calling further strike action as a direct result of the Westminster government’s failure to listen and negotiate over pensions.

“Firefighters are asking the Westminster government to immediately open genuine negotiations to resolve this dispute.

“They should also hold a House of Commons debate to fully scrutinise the legislation and there should be a parliamentary vote on the regulations.

“We need to be clear. We are not going to give up or go away. Firefighters will fight for however long it takes to secure a fair pensions deal – this dispute will not end as long as the regulations remain unchanged.”

Local support

Trade unions and campaign groups in Lincolnshire have expressed their support ahead of the 24 hour walk-out by FBU members.

Elaine Smith, Lincolnshire National Pensioners Convention representative, said: “The proposals assume that firefighters of 60 can meet the same physical standards as 20 year olds.

“When they lose their fitness the choice is accept a much reduced pension or get the sack. This is unworkable and dangerous.”

Nick Parker, Secretary of Lincoln & District TUC, added: “Firefighters are another group of ordinary people who are being forced to pay for an economic crisis that they didn’t cause.

“Government plans will make them work longer in a very demanding job or face being sacked on the cheap. We agree with the FBU slogan that firefighters should ‘rescue people, not banks’. They deserve our full support in their campaign.”

Fire and rescue crews from Lincoln North and Lincoln South and paramedics were called to a bedroom fire on Baggholme Road in Lincoln – which was caused accidentally by a lit candle.

Emergency services were called at 8.21pm on Thursday, December 4 and alerted to the blaze.

Severe damage was caused to a desk when the fire was started by a lit candle. The room was also damaged by smoke and light smoke damage also occurred on the landing area of the residential property.

The fire was extinguished using two breathing apparatus and one hosereel.

One person was treated by paramedics at the scene.

Four students from a Lincoln school have won an award for their work in creating a plan to assist residents in an emergency.

Students from Priory City of Lincoln Academy were challenged to come up with a plan on how their school could be turned into evacuation centres.

A team of four were chosen by the council’s emergency planning team to win the ‘Safe Haven’ award for the best ideas.

They are Chloe Addlesee, Leah Ward, Lucy Gallop and Beth Julian.

Laura Edlington, emergency planning officer, said: “We are delighted to present this award to Chloe, Leah, Lucy and Beth.

“They came up with some brilliant ideas for how their school could be used in an emergency and worked well as a team.

“We would also like to thank all of the students that took part in this project, and the teachers and school for their support.

“The Safe Haven project was recently recognised nationally as the Emergency Planning Initiative of the year, and we are keen to work with more schools to raise awareness of emergencies and increase the resilience of communities.”

Dave Hackett, head of geography and specialist leader of education at the Priory City of Lincoln Academy, added: “This project has captured the imagination of our students and they have thoroughly enjoyed coming up with their own plans.

“It has been so successful that we have planned Safe Haven into our syllabus for next year’s Geography lessons, and I would recommend the project to other schools.”

For more information on the Safe Haven Project, visit Lincolnshire Resilience Forum, call 01522 582220, or email jems@lincoln.fire-uk.org.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is ensuring residents stay safe from fire hazards over Christmas with its top tips.

The season is a busy period for the service, with a sharp rise of incidents at home.

Everything from fairy lights to tinsel and candles can become fire hazards when care is not taken.

In December, 20 people a day are killed or injured in accidental fires at home, and last year, there were around 2,700 accidental fires in the home in England.

In Lincolnshire, 45% of incidents during the same period were caused by cooking appliances, and candles making up 20%.

Karl Turrill, deputy community fire and safety manager at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Christmas is an exciting time for many, but with all the excitement and distractions, it’s quite easy to forget that accidents can happen.

“The festivities often bring more fire risks into the home including candles, tree lights and cooking. The added influence of alcohol means that it is even more important to stay alert.”

Top tips include:

• Make sure you and your family have working smoke alarms. Test them regularly.
• Make sure that everyone in your home knows what to do in a fire – in the event of fire you should get out, stay out and call 999.
• A burning Christmas tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gases, so check your Christmas tree lights carry the British Safety Standard marque. If in doubt replace your lights and always replace faulty bulbs. When going to bed or going out for the evening, make sure you turn off and unplug your Christmas tree lights and outdoor festive lights.
• Make sure your electrical sockets aren’t overloaded with too many high voltage plugs – use a surge protected extension cable if necessary.
• Many of us enjoy a drink over the festive season but be sure to avoid cooking whilst under the influence of alcohol. Always turn off kitchen appliances when you have finished cooking.
• They look pretty, they smell good, but remember that candles have an open flame which can be dangerous. Don’t leave candles unattended and keep them in candle holders, on a heat resistant surface. Keep them away from flammable materials like curtains, and away from pets and children. Make sure you put them out!

For more tips and information, visit the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue website.

A campaign group set up to oppose cuts to Lincolnshire’s fire and rescue service is rallying for support ahead of a Lincoln protest.

The community campaign Defend Our Fire Service has been set up against cuts proposed by Lincolnshire County Council to save £90 million by 2018/19 – including fire and rescue provisions.

The group’s protest will be held on Saturday, January 17, from 11am. Campaigners will assemble at the war memorial on the corner of St Benedict’s Square on Lincoln High Street.

Defend Our Fire Services spokesperson, Elaine Smith, said: “The jobs of dozens of firefighters are threatened by these cuts proposals, and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) are absolutely right in organising this protest to defend their members’ livelihoods.

“But these cuts will have a serious effect on the public too and the services that our communities receive.

“Under the proposed cuts plans, Lincolnshire residents will have to wait longer for a fire engine after they’ve called 999, and when one shows up, there’ll be less firefighters on board.

“We’re calling on members of the public to unite together with the FBU to stop these cuts proposals and defend our fire services.”

In response to budget reductions for 2015/16, the county council began conducting a 12-week consultation, seeking feedback on crewing arrangements, response times and the number of fire stations providing a co-responder service.

The campaign is also encouraging people to complete the official consultation.

Elaine Smith, added: “I attended a consultation just before Christmas about changes to our fire services due to cuts in funding by the County Council.

“All the options amounted to a reduction in service provision by having less firefighters on the front line and a slower response time when attending an incident.

“I believe that the people of Lincolnshire should not have to tolerate another emergency service that cannot function effectively due to staff cuts and inadequate funding.”

FBU Lincolnshire Brigade Secretary, Dan Taylor, said: “We want to make the public in Lincolnshire aware of how the proposed cuts to their local fire service affects them.

“This is why we are staging a series of campaign activities to raise awareness of the public consultation process and promote the need to respond. Cuts of this nature to a vital public service such as ours can not be ignored.”

Dave Ramscar, chief fire officer for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “We are confident that our proposals will have no significant impact on our ability to protect the public.

“The county council has to find annual savings of £90m and it’s only right the fire service plays its part.

“However, we will do this in a way that will minimise the impact on front line services.”

For the first time, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue has launched a fitness campaign in order to train more people to become on-call firefighters.

The free ‘fitness taster’ campaign calls for residents to support their local fire stations and puts their capabilities do the test with five exercise-themed tasks.

The events are taking place on the below dates, between 10am and 2pm unless stated:

• Saturday, Jan 24
  Crowland
  Mablethorpe
  Wainfleet

• Saturday, Jan 31
  Billinghay
  Crowland
  Waddington

• Sunday, Feb 1
  Billingborough (10am – 12.30pm)

• Saturday, February 7
  Wragby (10am – 1pm)

Madeline Martin, recruitment officer for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “At this time of year many people are looking to be healthier, get fitter or for a fresh challenge.

“You could actually achieve all of these things by joining your local fire station – and a whole lot more too. As an on-call firefighter you are paid for your time and receive full training.

“This month we would like people to give the physical side of the role a go by seeing if they could carry a casualty, roll out a hose, and find their way wearing breathing apparatus. Some of these tasks are very similar to those that our applicants undertake during a selection process.”

“If you would like to have a go please come along wearing suitable clothing and footwear. Our crews will be at the station if people would like to find out more about what they do, and how they make it work with other commitments.”

To find out more about becoming an on-call firefighter please call Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Recruitment on 0800 358 0204.

A petition set up by campaigners against proposed cuts to the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service has received over 1,000 signatures in a week.

The recently formed Defend Our Fire Services group set up the petition as Lincolnshire County Council proposed cuts to save £90 million by 2018/19 – including fire and rescue provisions.

The petition, which was set up on Thursday, January 15, has gained over 900 signatures on paper and over 100 via two online e-petitions, according to the campaigners.

The Fire Brigades Union in Lincolnshire and Lincoln & District TUC backed petition says:

“In response to the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Integrated Risk Management Planning consultation we, the undersigned, demand of Lincolnshire County Council:

• NO to cuts in firefighter crew levels in Lincolnshire;
• NO to longer fire service response times in Lincolnshire;
• NO to cuts in other council services to fund fire and rescue services;
• YES to demanding more money from central government to fund our county’s fire services.”

Spokesperson for Defend Our Fire Services, Elaine Smith, said: “It is an excellent achievement for the campaign to have signed so many people in opposition to these dangerous cuts to our services in such a short space of time.

“This is a massive show of support for the brave men and women who put themselves in danger day-in, day-out to keep our communities safe.

“However, we can’t rest on our laurels. In the next two weeks, we want to have at least 3,500 signatures. This will allow the campaign to have the right to address the next full council meeting in February about why we need to defend our fire services from these dangerous cuts.”

Dave Ramscar, chief fire officer for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “Obviously any reduction to the fire service is regrettable; however, we are confident that the proposals being consulted on allow us to achieve the required savings while having the least impact on the overall level of service provided.

“Despite considerable strain on local authority budgets in recent years, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue has been able to deliver significant improvements to its capability across the county.

“Since 2010, we have increased the number of fire engines crewed by wholetime firefighters on a 24 hour basis from two to nine, and on average our on-call firefighters across the county train for an extra hour each week.

“During this time there has been no reduction in the number of fire engines or fire stations and we have been able to make significant investments in new appliances and equipment, to allow our firefighters to continue to deliver a first class fire and rescue service for Lincolnshire.”

The Defend Our Fire Services group will host a public meeting on January 22 to gather community support in protesting the cuts.

The meeting will take place from 7pm at the St Giles Community Centre on Swift Gardens in Lincoln.

For more information, contact Elaine Smith on 07795 097293 or email defendourfireservices@gmail.com.