Firefighters are having to rely on food banks to get by, the chief fire officer at Avon Fire and Rescue Service has said. Simon Shilton said that he is "seriously worried" about the welfare of his staff, saying they are facing "significant hardships".
Mr Shilton said that staff deserve a properly funded pay rise in line with the increasing cost of living and in line with those offered to other public sector services. The Fire Brigades Union announced yesterday (September 6) that it was preparing for a ballot on strike action after a pay offer of two per cent.
This comes as inflation rose above 10 per cent for the first time since the 1980s back in July while the energy price cap nearly doubled last month. Mr Shilton said that industrial action would stretch the organisation "beyond its capabilities".
