Perth firefighters will protest outside the Scottish Parliament this week against 'devastating' cuts
dailyrecord.co.ukAt least 20 Perth firefighters and a Perth City North councillor will this week join firefighters from across Scotland protesting outside the Scottish Parliament against "dangerous" cuts to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).Firefighters are considering strike action.Perth-based Fire Brigades Union (FBU) exec committee (Scotland) member Colin Brown fears people could phone 999 and be told the SFRS cannot respond to the call.On Thursday, October 26 Perth City North councillor Brian Leishman and over 20 Perth firefighters will take part in an FBU mass rally outside Holyrood at 11am.The SFRS has announced it needs to make at least £14 million of cuts next year which could result in a loss of 18 appliances and 339 firefighters - on top of the 10 appliances and 166 firefighter posts cut this year.On September 4, five posts were cut in Perth and Perth Fire Station went from having three water pumps to two - its third appliance now operates purely as a dedicated aerial rescue vehicle.
The cuts were part of the first phase of around £36 million of savings being made over the next four years by the SFRS.FBU Scotland is consulting all branches on strike action "in opposition to a devastating package of cuts imposed by the Scottish Government".Senior FBU member Colin Brown said: "Workers' voices have to be listened to.
When we're saying there's an existential threat to the safety of our communities it has to be listened to. Because once we're gone, we're not coming back."And we're not in a position where someone picks up the phone and dials 999 to say, 'Your call's important to us but we can't afford to come out to it ' - but that's the position we're being pushed to."Concerned Labour councillor Brian Leishman said:
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