FARNHAM firefighters have backed the series of national pay protest strikes which are due to begin next Tuesday and which many fear will compromise public safety.

The 28 Farnham members all voted to support the motion to strike unless their demands for a 40 per cent pay increase are met before the first action.

Army reserves are being drafted in to deputise for fire services across the county, but will not have access to modern equipment.

They will be using 14 ancient 1940s Green Goddess fire trucks, which have a top speed of 40 mph.

This is significantly less than the 36 engines normally operating, but Farnham officers have said they would halt the strike temporarily to assist with life-threatening incidents.

Wages for firefighters have lagged behind other public services including the police, and the strike action comes in the wake of failed reviews of their employment terms.

Fireman Mick Smith, Farnham's Fire Brigade Union (FBU) representative, said officers firmly supported strike action, but hoped they would not have to resort to it.

"All officers at Farnham support the FBU industrial action because over the last eight to ten years we have dropped behind in the pay scales.

"Everyone is struggling so much, we have to make a stand. Feelings are very strong on this throughout the fire brigade.

"It is unfortunate that everyone keeps using the 40 per cent figure, but when you look at it, it is an increase from £6.50 to £8.50 an hour. It would work out at every household paying an extra 41p a week for our services."

Adding that their average annual wage of £21,000 was especially difficult for those p Continued from Page One

with families in Surrey to survive on, he did not believe their demands were unrealistic.

He said they had rejected a wage increase of four per cent from the National Joint Council (the centrally responsible body) as this was a "derisory figure".

Dismissing this review as a mere "stalling tactic," he said they would be reluctantly pressing ahead with strike plans.

Surrey's chief fire officer Steve Myers said he did not approve of the planned fire strikes, though was supportive of the need for increased pay.

He said: "I am very disappointed that the Fire Brigade Union are determined to go ahead with the strike action. I sympathise with their cause as firefighters pay has slipped back against comparable groups. I think it is right that there should be a review of pay and conditions and a new formula for this is established."

He added that a decision on any strike action was premature and should have been delayed until the latest independent review proposed reported to the government in December.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who is responsible for the fire service said the strikes are not productive, and warned they were creating a threat to public safety.

Speaking to a national paper, he said: "The strikes are completely unnecessary and completely unjustified. The FBU's position is simply indefensible."

In an address to the House of Commons this week, he admitted troops drafted in to cover for fire officers were under-trained for 999 call-outs and did not have local knowledge to find fire scenes.

The strikes are set to run from Tuesday next week at 9 am until Thursday next week, with similar action due throughout November and December.