FIREFIGHTERS warn that lives could be put at risk by proposals to cut staffing at Didcot and Abingdon fire stations.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says an Oxfordshire County Council plan to axe staff at the two stations and move them elsewhere in the county would slow response times and could lead to deaths.

The modernisation plans propose cutting two full-time posts at both Didcot and Abingdon, instead getting part-timers to respond to incidents from their homes.

If the plans are approved, one fire engine from Rewley Road, Oxford, will be taken out of the city at weekends to provide standby cover in the two towns.

The chairman of FBU Oxfordshire, Steve Allen, said both members of the public and firefighters could be put at risk.

He said: “We are potentially talking about delaying fire crews by three to five minutes, and that will have a definite effect on survival rates of fires. There could be a higher possibility of death as a result of reduced fire cover. This is not something we want to see proven.”

He added: “We will fight this the best we are able. We think it is very serious.

“We’re happy to engage in the process to find a solution, but these proposals just focus on a small aspect of a far bigger picture.”

Mr Allen said he feared the recession could lead the council to try to save money by cutting fire cover.

But Oxfordshire County Council’s chief fire officer, John Parry, said that the redeployment of staff would improve the service by supporting other under-staffed fire stations.

He said: “There would be the same number of firefighters on the same number of fire engines responding to incidents in the future as there is today. That is the reality underpinning the proposals.

“In Abingdon and Didcot, there would be no reduction in the number of fire stations, no reduction in the number of fire appliances, no loss of jobs and no increase in working hours. During the hours of peak demand, the level of service would be exactly the same as it is now.”

He added: “We have a responsibility to ensure we are delivering the best possible service and value for money for all Oxfordshire residents. This means we must continually examine how we can get the best out of existing resources to make further improvements.”

Twelve weeks of consultations start next month, before a final cabinet decision is taken next spring.