Yesterday, 30th May, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service [SFRS] announced that they plan to levy charges on members of the public for call outs to incidents deemed as ‘non-emergency’, and for pre-arranged services at training and community events. They appear to make no distinction between the two. Where it is not unreasonable to charge for arranged contributions to training and community events, charging for call outs to what are included under the banner of ‘non-emergency’ incidents may carry a high price beyond the financial in a variety of ways.
David Stewart, Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, has been angered and concerned by the move by the SFRS means that members of the public could be landed with heavy bills following non-emergency calls to the Fire and Rescue Service.
A further problem, as For Argyll sees it, is that, anxious about the imposition of potential charges, members of the public may either hesitate critically before calling the Fire and Rescue Services or fail to call them altogether.
As we all saw, tragically, in the case of the Ayrshire solicitor, Alison Hume, who died after getting stuck in a pit she had fallen into – while Fire and Rescue Services above debated health and safety issues, rescue missions are time critical, whatever the reasons for delay.
In an attempt to find new sources of income, the SFRS plan to introduce charges for routine services such as call out in the event of home flooding, clearance of roadside debris for motorists as well as forcing entry to buildings and freeing people who get stuck in lifts.
A spokesperson for the service says: ‘As a fire and rescue service we are regularly called to assist in animal rescue situations. This may range from a domestic pet trapped to a major road traffic collision involving a transporter carrying cattle and there will always be occasions where the specialist skills and equipment of the fire and rescue service are needed.
‘Our intervention in these cases can often prevent an escalation of the incident and prevent the public from endangering themselves by trying to effect a rescue.
‘We are not aware of any charge being made by SFRS for animal rescues although the service would be entitled to do so. Each incident would be considered on a case by case basis.’
Ironically, the imposition of charges is likely to bring about a situation where members of the public put themselves at risk in DIY efforts, rather than call out the professional public services.
Road Traffic situations and accidents – such as debris clearance and animal rescue or carcase removals – are highly problematic for envisaging the imposition of charges. Such services are unarguably public services on frontline public safety.
There may be an argument as to which department of government pays for Fire and Rescue Service involvement in such situations but they are unquestionably services for which the state is fully responsible and which are included in the calculation of tax levied.
Instances of people trapped in a variety of circumstances would also seem to be a clear public service for which the state is responsible.
Animal rescues may be a different matter – although where the imposition of charges may deter the calling out of the Rescue Service, there would be serious animal welfare issues to be considered.
David Stewart says of these proposed charges: ‘The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is a publicly funded organisation which the public already support through paying taxes.
‘The idea of someone being rescued from a lift then to be charged for the service stuns me,as I’m sure it will many members of the public.
‘I am particularly concerned with the costs associated with the cover for venue hire per hour, dependent on the numbers of people the venue holds. This looks to me like the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are putting a price on fire safety which is simply unacceptable.
‘People across the Highlands and Islands have already been made to feel remote and cut off from the SFRS due to centralisation of the service and cost cutting by the SNP and this latest announcement can only make matters worse.
‘These proposed charges will only further remove the important community element of the SFRS and increases risks through people fearing a bill in the post following a call out to the Fire and Rescue Service.’
Example of price list issued by SFRS for services costs
STAFF COSTS PER HOUR
Firefighter £24
Crew Manager £27
Watch Manager A £28
Watch Manager B £30
Station Manager £31
Group Manager £39
HIRE PER HOUR
Aerial Rescue Pump £285
Aerial Ladder Platform £274
Pumping Appliance £262
Light Vehicles £47
Fire Crew/Additional Personnel: £24-£39
VENUE HIRE PER HOUR
Venues holding up to 12 people £15
Venues holding 13 to 50 people £25
Venues holding 51 to 100 people £30
Venues holding more than 100 people £40