Concerns raised over crewing of aerial ladder platform after Grenfell Tower disaster

Matt Wrack, general secretary at the Fire Brigades Union, said they found that of 125 aerial ladder platform vehicles in England, just 33 of them were full-time crewed.

The one in Southsea is among those not to have a permanent crew of two.

It had been permanently crewed until sweeping changes were brought in by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Now if the ALP was required it would mean another appliance would be unable to be used as two firefighters from that appliance would be put on the ALP.

And the FBU said it was also concerned about a national ‘postcode lottery’, over a regional variance in predetermined responses to high-rise fires in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster.

As reported, in Hampshire it has been upped from five fire engines to eight engines and an aerial vehicle.

Mr Wrack has written to prime minister Theresa May.

In a statement he said: ‘These new findings are extremely concerning.

‘In the light of the terrible tragedy at Grenfell Tower, this situation is utterly unacceptable. We find it staggering that nothing has been done to address this grossly unjust postcode lottery of resources, and the fact that governments in all parts of the UK appear not to have even considered it is a disgrace.’

Mr Wrack has also praise firefighters in London.