WITH firefighters across Worcestershire set to go on strike again this Saturday, people in the county are being advised to take extra precautions.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union will be striking from 10am until 5pm on June 21 in a row over pensions.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service group commander Adrian Elliot said cover would be reduced during the seven-hour strike.

Not all of our firefighters are members of the Fire Brigades Union which means some stations will be working normally but people should be aware that it may take us a little longer to respond to calls in some instances,” he said.

“During the firefighter strikes we want people to be clear about what to do in the event of a fire.

“The most important point they need to know is that they will still get an emergency response and they should not be tempted to tackle fires themselves.”

“General fire safety messages that we promote throughout the year become even more crucial at times of strike action.

“An early alert to a fire in your home is just as important for avoiding injury and damage to property and we would also like to remind people to install a smoke alarm on every floor of their home and to test each alarm is working on a weekly basis.”

The service is advising residents to make sure they have an escape route from their home and ensure everyone living there knows what it is, close all inside doors at night to stop a fire from spreading and to make sure cigarettes are fully put out and properly disposed of.

People are also being told to take extra care in the kitchen and to never leave cooking unattended, not to overload electrical sockets and never to tackle fires themselves.

The union has said the government’s proposals to raise the retirement age for firefighters from 55 to 60 and to halve pensions for those who retire before their 60th birthday will put communities at risk.