In the 12-month period leading up to March 2023, fire and rescue services across England handled over 199,000 non-fire incidents, representing a 2.3% increase compared to the prior year. Tragically, fatalities from these incidents rose significantly by 17% during the same period. The Fire Brigades Union attributes this concerning trend to over a decade of budget cuts, which have reportedly led to a higher-than-average departure rate among firefighters.
Apart from tackling fires, firefighters frequently respond to diverse emergencies, such as floods, road traffic collisions, and medical emergencies, often working alongside other emergency services to protect communities.
According to data from the Home Office, the Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended 38 non-fire incidents resulting in fatalities last year, a reduction from the 56 fatalities reported the previous year. Nationally, however, there were 3,875 fatalities during non-fire incidents, equating to 20 deaths per 1,000 incidents attended.
The rise in fatalities has been significantly influenced by medical emergencies, which saw a 52% increase, climbing to 624 deaths in 2022-23 from the previous year. Two of these medical-related fatalities occurred within Oxfordshire.
Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, expressed grave concerns over the issue, stating, “We are currently in the midst of a crisis driven by more than a decade of cuts.” According to Wrack, approximately 20% of firefighter jobs have been lost since 2010, causing slower response times and leaving firefighters to address critical emergencies without adequate resources. Wrack stressed the need for central government investment to reverse this trend.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service recorded 1,854 non-fire incidents last year, reflecting a 1.9% increase from the year before. Among these were 444 road traffic collisions, 194 flooding or water rescues, and 144 medical emergencies.
A spokesperson from the National Fire Chiefs Council expressed condolences for the lives lost, stating, “It is always incredibly sad to see loss of life at incidents that our fire and rescue service colleagues have attended.” They emphasized the importance of fire services’ comprehensive response strategies and collaboration with other emergency teams in reducing fatalities. The Council also underscored the significance of prevention efforts, including road and water safety initiatives, in achieving a long-term decline in casualties.
Meanwhile, a Home Office spokesperson reiterated the government’s commitment to providing fire services with the necessary resources for their critical operations. Approximately £2.6 billion in funding is expected to be allocated to fire and rescue authorities for 2023-24. However, they highlighted that decisions on resource allocation are ultimately the responsibility of individual fire and rescue services.
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