Thursday, November 08, 2012

Business down the Pan!


A Lot has been made about House Fires, but what about your business? Most Businesses have Fire Alarms - 


Business Fires

Whilst numerically domestic fires dominate, the higher cost is carried by the commercial sector. The average cost of a commercial fire is £44,000; a figure that is often not covered completely by insurance. A sobering thought is that up to 80% of those businesses that experience a serious fire go out of business within 3 years of the fire.

And CFOA  the 
Chief Fire Officers Association

"60% of private businesses affected by fire never recover"


But one of the ways that the Fire Brigade has reduced its calls is by not responding straight away to the Alarm. They await until a fire is confirmed or send an Officer in a car to investigate first! 

So Your Livelihood is up in Flames, your employees out of work.



Have you been consulted about the cuts?

AS Part of the Consultation they are required to consult with Stakeholders within the County


Last year According to the Fire Authority Meeting Minutes
 "Approximately    80     stakeholders    were    identified   for   direct      contact,"

YES 

80 !!!!!!!! 

Only 80!!!!!!!

(and 2.2 million people live in West Yorkshire) 


Out of all the businesses within West Yorkshire!

FCCL would suggest that is not very many!


In a Report from 2009  
The
Association of Business Insurers  (ABI)
claimed
Record rise in the costs of fire damage
The cost of fire damage now stands at a record level according to research published today by the ABI. In the first half of 2009, insurers paid out £639 million - £3.6 million every day - for damage caused by fires. This is the highest half yearly figure ever, and follows on from last year’s record high level of fire claim costs.

HOW MUCH MORE WILL IT CONTINUE TO INCREASE?

 Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Health, said:


“The challenging economic climate is having a significant impact on the fire danger. While the numbers of fires may have been falling, the increase in large-scale fires is increasingly putting lives at risk, and puts more pressure on businesses in these already difficult trading times.”

This disturbing picture emerges from the ABI’s analysis of fire trends launched [sic] today (10 December) at a reception at the House of Commons. ‘Tackling Fire: A call for Action’ highlights that:

·         Fire damage claims in the first half of 2009 cost £639 million - £3.6 million each day. This follows on from the £1.3 billion fire losses in 2008, a 16% rise on 2007 and the most expensive year ever.
·         Between 2002 and 2008 the cost of the average fire claim for both commercial and domestic fires doubled, to £21,000 and £8,000 respectively.
·          Arson, which tends to increase during a recession, accounts for half of all commercial fires.

Socially deprived areas and schools are especially vulnerable  (Like most of the Inner city areas of West Yorkshire - FCCL Team): arson rates are 30 times higher in poorer areas.Twenty schools a week suffer an arson attack, disrupting the education of 90,000 schoolchildren, causing damage costing £65 million.
·          More open plan buildings, which allow more rapid spread of fire, and the increase in out of town developments, where fires can go for longer unnoticed, are among factors contributing to the doubling of fire costs since 2002."


Nick Starling added:

“Our analysis shows grounds for concern over fire trends. The continued recession is likely to have a significant impact on the number and cost of fires, and potentially on the number of fire-related deaths and injuries. That is why we urge the Government, working with other stakeholders including the fire service the police and insurers, to adopt our proposals to reduce the impact of fire.”


SO
Demand That You Are Consulted! 

If you are also confused by the Gobbledygook
 Contact the West Yorkshire FBU Officials on
 07967105224
for a clearer explanation!


Then once you have heard 

THE FACTS 
FROM OPERATIONAL FIREFIGHTERS 
(not management sat in their ivory tower) 



send YOUR VIEWS on the proposed cuts in West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Provision 



 send your comments via snail mail to 
Hannah Stoneman   or email her HERE
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue
Oakroyd Hall
Bradford Road
Birkenshaw
West Yorkshire
BD11 2DY



Click HERE  to view the consultation documents. 



Remember 

















5 comments:

Anonymous said...

explain please - they dont turn out for fire alarms ?????? I pay a fortune for a service it seems i will no longer get.

Unknown said...

You are paying for a service you will no longer get, but you are not paying a "fortune". In fact an annual charge of £15.45 per head in West Yorkshire.

see the following link to the council tax leaflet.

http://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4077A9B5-D8FF-40E3-A7F5-AC3C80CBE95D/0/CouncilTaxfinal.pdf

Anonymous said...

exactly ....most people would pay more for a better service.

Unknown said...

I have been using "the Fire Service is an insurance policy" arguement for many years; You pay your premiums just in case, but you never want to make a claim.

Regardless of the double dip recession, everything is going up in price. Utility bills are due to rise by 10% in December, petrol and diesel are creeping closer to the £1.50 per litre mark with a similar price for a loaf of bread.

We are not "consulted" on these price rises, they are imposed on us. They are price rises more often for financial gain.

So why can't the price of the Fire Service rise? Something that is not for financial gain, but there to serve the community and to save lives and property.

These cuts are not about the recession and the deficit, they are about political ideals. Ever since the last Fire Service strike there has been a constant attack on conditions of service, pay and pensions. Now the final nail in the coffin, life saving fire cover provision.

The average household in West Yorkshire pays less than £1.00 per week in Council Tax for the Fire Service, this is OUR service there should be a choice to pay a little more to maintain it.

At the so called "public consultation" in Keighley, Group Manager Jim Butters stated; " We (the Fire Service Management)[sic] would like to arrive at a life risk in a high risk area in 7 minutes"

Previous Home Office attendance times to such an emergeny dictated that the Fire Service WOULD arrive in 5 minutes. If they failed to meet that attendance time they would have to explain why.

So can anybody tell me why West Yorkshire Fire Service would now "LIKE" to arrive 2 minutes slower at a life threatening fire?

I can only comment on the Keighley, Haworth and Silsden area, the reduction from five front line appliances to only two is disgraceful.

Keeping the Council Tax precept at the same level might be a good political point scorer but at what cost?

I want OUR Fire Service to maintain standards and if that costs more, we will have to pay a little more.

Someone needs to stand up and say no to this attack on an essential public service before it is too late.

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