Keith; your earlier post seems to miss out a crutial element which the rest of the thread also has. They are the Kent Fire and RESCUE Service. So whilst 10% of their time may be waiting for a fire, how much is being spent out and about cutting someone from a vehicle or saving someone trapped in a confined space?
KFRS had and has a big campaign of helping people install smoke alarms. This has probably reduced their work with fires but they are now being penalised for helping make our lives better.
In this case they have to have the numbers to respond to the 'what if?'. But I do agree with the tough recruitment, fire fighting an rescue is not as straight forward as it used to be. You have to understand modern breathing equipment and various apparatus not just for fighting fires.
Cuts effect us all, but in KFRS's case let's hope it's not at the cost of someone's life
