Changes to Devon & Somerset fire log

The Fire Brigades Union ( FBU ) has expressed its concern that Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service's (DSFRS) decision to stop publishing full attendance records at incidents will hide future cuts. The fire safety service will now only publish the time it takes for the first fire engine to attend a call, not all of the appliances which eventually respond to a call. The full attendance records will only be available internally. According to the FBU , these changes will mean that the public will not be aware of the true performance of DSFRS.

Dave Chappell, from the FBU in Exeter, said: "We are deeply concerned that the real intention is just to be a smokescreen for further cuts," adding that local residents would not know about any changes made to the service's infrastructure unless they were published.

In response to the claims, assistant chief fire officer Peter Smith claimed the changes to the fire logging system will make it easier for the public to know about the figures which truly affect them.