Staffordshire Fire Service Nears Decision on Permanent Three-Person Crew Policy

The permanent implementation of a contentious policy, which involves deploying smaller, on-call fire crews to incidents in Staffordshire, is currently under consideration. While fire engines typically operate with at least four firefighters, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue has been conducting a trial with on-call teams comprising three individuals. Senior officials assert that this adjustment has led to improved response times and greater availability of equipment. However, critics, including the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), contend that this approach jeopardizes lives. The fire service’s governance board is scheduled to render a final verdict in December regarding the permanent adoption of this three-person crew strategy. During a public performance meeting, Staffordshire Police Fire And Crime Commissioner Ben Adams received an update on the progress of the trial program. Senior personnel reported that over the 16-month trial period, three-person crews responded to 636 incidents, encompassing structural fires and traffic collisions. They further noted that in August, a three-person team attended a house fire in Lichfield, where firefighters entered the premises to rescue the occupant. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Glynn Luznyj stated that although the service’s objective remains to staff its on-call appliances with a minimum of four firefighters, three-person crews are dispatched when this is not feasible. He indicated that this practice has resulted in increased availability of on-call engines, with three-person crews reaching incident scenes an average of nine minutes and 45 seconds faster than the subsequent fully-crewed appliance. Mr. Luznyj elaborated: “This is all about improving the opportunity for our firefighters to make faster and earlier interventions, while the next nearest appliances are being mobilised as normal.” The FBU, along with several Staffordshire councillors, argues that a three-person crew cannot safely deploy breathing apparatus teams into burning structures, thereby potentially endangering lives. This concern has gained more prominence following the Lichfield incident, where the crew chose to enter the house despite the standard protocol being to await the arrival of additional colleagues. Conversely, Chief Fire Officer Rob Barber maintained that on-call firefighters possess the necessary qualifications to make such judgments. He affirmed: “Every one of those on-call firefighters is a highly trained professional that will conduct a dynamic risk assessment.” Mr. Luznyj acknowledged the existing concerns regarding the trial but asserted that crews arriving at scenes more quickly and “laying the groundwork” for incoming appliances significantly contributed “massive value” to both public and firefighter safety. This report was compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers local government and other public service organizations.