‘No risk to emergency fire service cover’ under shake-up of Wigan borough fire stations, say bosses

It followed September's announcement by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham that both Ashton and Leigh were to become “Enhanced Rescue Stations,” designed to strengthen the service’s ability to respond to increasing numbers of complex emergencies such as from water and high buildings.

However it was claimed by anonymous sources that this would result in 12 firefighter jobs being lost at Leigh, with a reduction of 56 posts to just 44.

It was also claimed that Leigh’s frontline fire appliance was to become a Specialist Response Unit deployed anywhere in Greater Manchester, leaving Leigh/Golborne/Lowton without fire cover hundreds of times per year, thereby putting lives at risk.

These claims were put to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), who later issued a detailed rebuttal.

They said the new new Enhanced Rescue Station model agreed for introduction at Leigh through the Fire Cover Review process involved using a single team to provide both enhanced and regular responses.

This required a total team of 44 crew members, rather than 56 currently required by running two separate teams. No jobs were being axed - the 12 crew members not featured in the new model would be offered a preference of roles in other stations and supported to

take these up.

The fire service also said that no fire engines were being lost – Leigh will remain a two fire engine fire and rescue station, with one regular and one enhanced engine with specialist technical equipment for more complex rescues.

These will be staffed through a new model that overcomes limitations in the current way of working to ensure both the regular and enhanced response is available at all times.

In some instances, both engines may attend the same incident, or be called to separate incidents at the same time; at these times, the existing ‘standby’ process would come into effect to ensure local cover was maintained. This process sees additional ‘standby’

fire engines moved into specific areas – including Leigh and Wigan – if there are not two engines locally available to respond to incidents at a particular time.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “Our latest Fire Cover Review was undertaken in summer 2023 to help us ensure our resources are used most effectively and efficiently across the city-region.

"This included a proposal to introduce a new operating model and staffing structure to increase the resilience of our specialist crews that respond to complex incidents such as road traffic collisions, collapsed buildings and those in waterways, high places and closed

spaces.

“This proposal was accepted following 11 weeks of staff engagement and public consultation.

“We are confident this new staffing model will deliver greater efficiencies and mean that during any periods of higher staff absence, there will always be a sufficient number of firefighters available to provide this enhanced rescue response.

"In the minority of instances where both of Leigh’s fire engines are called to an incident, local fire cover and response times will be maintained using our existing standby processes, which have been effectively in place since 2017.

“No roles are being axed in GMFRS as part of these enhancements. All current crew members were offered the chance to be part of the new model, with those who declined being supported in taking up roles in other stations.

"Crucially, fire cover in this area of Greater Manchester is not being reduced following these changes, which were backed by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU)."