Fire service urges public to stay safe during weekend of strikes
Families were today urged to stay safe and vigilant as two more fire strikes were taking place this weekend.
A national walkout was taking place today from 2pm until 2am and again tomorrow from 10-3pm.
The industrial action is due to a dispute over pensions and crews across the West Midlands and Staffordshire also went on strike yesterday from 12-5pm.
West Midlands Fire Service was called out 12 times during the strike action, including to a washing machine fire at a home in The Scotlands, Wolverhampton and a microwave fire in a flat in Tipton.
Crews were also called to Merry Hill where a baby was locked in a car.
After the first day of strike action Area Commander Paul Burnham said: "We have contingency arrangements in place to provide a level of response across the West Midlands. However, as we'll have fewer resources available than usual, it's important that people continue being vigilant. Public safety is central to our contingency plans, and 999 calls will still be answered as normal.
"We will be providing the best emergency response we can but we're appealing to people to only call us on 999 in genuine emergencies."
In Staffordshire, just two emergency calls were recorded during yesterday's strike but Staffordshire's Chief Fire Officer, Peter Dartford asked people to remain vigilant.
He said: "We have emergency response arrangements in place but it will not be business as usual therefore we need local residents and business to continue taking extra care at home, at work and on the roads".
