FIREFIGHTERS throughout Greater Manchester are threatening strike action after they failed to halt planned cuts.

Crews lobbied a meeting of the county's Fire Authority at Swinton in protest at sweeping changes planned for the service which they claim will mean cuts in both jobs and fire appliances, affecting the whole county.

The changes follow a Fire Cover Review - a professional analysis of the service carried out by senior fire officers.

The Fire Brigades Union has criticised the move as "potentially life threatening" and claims cutbacks will put lives at risk, with fewer fire-fighters and appliances to respond to emergencies.

But Bedford/Astley councillor Fred Walker, who is chairman of the Fire Authority, said he was satisfied with the findings of the review.

And he added: "The recommendations made will ensure the Brigade provides the most effective fire cover possible for the County."

Union chairman Jim McMullen said that their only option now was to ballot members on industrial action.

He said: "If fire cover in the Greater Manchester area is cut, then it is bound to put lives at risk.

"We need more firefighters on the front line, not less. In some areas, such as Partington, Wigan and Droylsden, there is already inadequate fire cover, with many stations not reaching response targets."

The recommendations of the review will be sent to the Home Office for final approval.

If they are given the go-ahead, 12 full-time posts will go at both Heywood and Irlam, along with 12 part-time posts at Irlam, seven of which will be natural redundancies. In addition, a light rescue vehicle will be lost from Heywood, a second appliance from Irlam and an aerial ladder at Ashton-under-Lyne.

Mr McMullen said: "We are not doing this for extra pay or better working conditions, we are doing this for the public. We should be going into the next millennium with a better fire service not a worse one.

"I hope that we can avoid industrial action, but only the maintenance of the existing Fire Service in Greater Manchester, with no job losses and no fire appliance losses will avoid this."

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