A U-TURN has been made over the number of firefighters assigned to Tactical Response Vehicles across North Yorkshire following safety concerns.

Six TRVs, which are smaller than a standard fire engine, have replaced six full engines at stations across North Yorkshire and crew numbers were reduced to three per vehicle instead of four.

The Fire Brigade Union fiercely opposed the move, saying that the staffing level was inadequate and now the North Yorkshire Fire Authority has reconsidered its original decision.

This week members voted to increase TRV staffing levels to a minimum of four crew members on four of the vehicles..

Steve Howley, brigade secretary of the FBU in North Yorkshire, said: “I am very pleased the new chairman of the fire authority, [councillor] Andrew Backhouse, listened, considered and acted upon our concerns, as well as those of other authority members, that having just three firefighters on a vehicle was a threat to public safety and to the safety of our firefighters.

“This is a ground-breaking decision and one that clearly changes the direction of travel for this fire authority.

“It is an enormous accomplishment and has only been made possible as a result of the relentless campaigning by FBU members over the last few years.

“Together we have acted as a united and determined union who have refused to give up the fight on an issue which placed the public and firefighters of North Yorkshire at greater risk.”

Mr Howley also welcomed the fire authority’s decision to provide the FBU with a seat on the authority.

He said: “This position will allow for greater transparency, a balanced debate and the employees having equal input on important decisions at future meetings.”

The review of staffing levels started in September this year after Cllr Backhouse asked officers to produce a report to consider increasing the crewing of the TRVs at four stations - Northallerton, Ripon, Malton and Tadcaster.

This report was presented to the fire authority on Wednesday who made a decision to crew those four TRVs with four firefighters.

Cllr Backhouse said: “It is my duty as chair of the authority to listen to all sides of argument and manage out the risk, to the best of my ability.

“In this instance, serious concerns were raised with me about the crewing of the TRVs with three members of staff.”

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire fire service said there are no current plans to increase the crewing of TRVs at Scarborough and Harrogate, as they have a second appliance immediately available crewed by wholetime firefighters.