The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have announced a further strike on Wednesday, 13 November between 10am and 2pm.
As in previous strikes, the Brigade will have 27 fire engines based at strategic locations and contingency crews will deal with emergencies across London during the four hour strike.
The FBU has also announced that they will ballot their members on industrial action short of a strike. The ballot for the action short of a strike will start on Wednesday, 13 November and close on Wednesday, 4 December.
The strike will be the fourth in a dispute between the FBU and government over the Government’s reforms to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme.
During the strike and if needed fire engines will attend emergencies including fires in people’s homes, vehicle fires, road accidents and collapsed buildings. The contingency plans are not intended to match the Brigade’s day-to-day cover so while strike action is taking place a fire engine may not be sent to less urgent and non-life-threatening incidents.
During the strike firefighters will attend:
• Serious fires – like those in Londoners’ homes – confirmed by a 999 call
• Fires that involve gas cylinders or hazardous substances.
• Explosions
• Vehicle fires or boat fires
• Fires at railway stations and rail and road tunnels or fires involving people in underground tunnels.
• Aircraft or train crashes
• Road traffic collisions
• Collapsed structures
During the strike firefighters may not be able to attend:
• Grass fires and other outdoor fires such as trees, hedges or undergrowth alight.
• Rubbish fires (including fires in bins and skips) and fires on open ground.
• Animal rescues (these will be referred to the RSPCA).
• People shut in lifts (owners of buildings are responsible for ensuring arrangements are in place to release people from faulty lifts).
• Flooding
• Automatic fire alarms – a fire engine will only be sent when the fire has been confirmed by a 999 call.