Firefighters have told the ECHO colleagues are relying on foodbanks and how they are close to leaving the service.
Across the country, firefighters are voting on strike action after members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) rejected an offered pay rise of 5%. Members of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) who spoke to the ECHO said they and their colleagues are increasingly struggling with demands of the job as stress around the cost of living grows.
They want a higher pay rise they feel reflects the scope of their role, which includes responding to chemical incidents or road traffic collisions, and running educational sessions at schools, on top of putting out fires.
