Basildon firefighters have hit out at the Government's fire cover arrangements during the 48 hour stoppage, calling them "grossly inadequate and poorly distributed".
The station, one of the busiest in Essex, receives on average ten calls every day.
United - striking Basildon firefighters surround the picket line brazier for their vigil Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY
But the town has received just one Green Goddess to cover the entire area, compared with three in Grays, and two in Brentwood.
And the ageing machines in both Grays and Brentwood have specialist breathing apparatus but the Green Goddess in Basildon is not equipped with this vital piece of equipment.
Basildon firefighter Mick Osborne, 32, from Harlow, said: "We cover 12 per cent of the calls in Essex, our water-tender pump - a specialist fire engine - is the largest in southern England and we are by far the busiest fire station in the local area.
"We only have one green goddess with no breathing apparatus, although we have more breathing apparatus incidents than in both Grays and Brentwood."
Published Thursday November 14, 2002
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