More than 1,000 more firefighters are needed if the UK is to deal adequately with major terrorist attacks, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said today.

The union has said that while government has provided councils with £56 million worth of equipment to deal situations such as chemical attacks – the manpower is not in place to effectively deploy countermeasures.

With another £132 million of equipment being provided to councils over the next 12 months to handle conventional attacks, the problem will become even greater.

Only London – with an increase of 256 staff – has taken a "more realistic approach" to staffing levels, the FBU said.

The union claims that councils and fire authorities have not faced up to the possibility that "labour-intensive" emergency equipment could be called upon, without the trained staff necessary to use it.

The union highlighted Liverpool, Manchester and the West Midlands as areas where jobs have been cut and preparation has been hampered.

Union General Secretary Andy Gilchrist said: “Councils have their head in the sand on this issue. There are many strategic targets outside of London and the South East.

“We need to be ready to react whenever and wherever they strike. Councils have been given this equipment but they need people to operate it.

“We are better prepared than we were six months ago but there is some way to go. We have the equipment for a purpose but we need the people in place to make sure we can use it if we have to."

The initial £56 million includes 80 mass decontamination showers capable of processing 200 people an hour, and protective suits and breathing equipment. This should be fully operational by the end of April 2004.

Another £132 million is being spent on urban search and rescue equipment which includes modern equipment for detecting signs of life under rubble, heavy lifting gear to move collapsed structures and equipment to help stabilise damaged buildings to enable rescuers to get in. This should be fully operational in the next 12 months.

(gmcg)