THE Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has resoundingly rejected plans in Scotland to reduce fire cover at night and weekends and to cut firefighter posts.

The response follows the launch of a public consultation by the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service into proposed changes across the service.

The FBU said the consultation comes after 12 years of sustained real-terms cuts to the fire service budget and the loss of more than 1,250 firefighter jobs since 2012-13.

The union warned it would not accept any further reductions to staffing or the agreed safe crewing model and expressed serious concern over plans to reduce cover during evenings and weekends, arguing that these times are critical regarding public safety.

FBU Scottish secretary John McKenzie said: “Our members and the Scottish public have suffered more than enough cuts to the fire service.

“For over a decade, budget cuts have increased risks to public safety, with firefighter numbers slashed and response times increasing as a result.

“The service is already on its knees because of these cuts. That has led to increases in response times and when this time is lost, lives will also be lost.”

The union is calling for sustained funding to improve, not worsen, public safety.