New data shows that Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has cut its average response time to primary fires by 33 seconds over the past year. However, response times remain slower than a decade ago.
The big picture: While Suffolk firefighters are getting to serious fires quicker, the Fire Brigades Union warns of a nationwide "crisis" in fire services due to budget cuts and reduced staffing.
By the numbers:
Average response time for primary fires in Suffolk: 10 minutes 58 seconds (down from 11 minutes 31 seconds last year)
Response time a decade ago: 10 minutes 35 seconds
Total incidents attended in Suffolk: 5,841 (down from 6,212 the previous year)
Non-fire incidents: 1,529
Fire-related fatalities in Suffolk: 7 (up from 2 the previous year)
Zoom out: Nationally, average response times for primary fires improved from 9 minutes 13 seconds to 9 minutes 3 seconds. However, this is still slower than the 8 minutes 16 seconds recorded a decade ago.
What they're saying:
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary: "While we face the flooding, wildfires and extreme weather of the climate emergency, we have lost one in five firefighters to cuts. Fewer resources mean that fire engines take far longer to arrive at a fire than in the 1990s, and fire services' capacity varies wildly by region."
A Home Office spokesperson: "Throughout the country, our firefighters operate in challenging and high-risk environments, constantly going above and beyond the call of duty to protect our communities."
The bottom line: Despite year-on-year improvements in Suffolk, concerns remain about the long-term impact of budget cuts on fire service performance and response times across the UK.
