My personal response to CFO Huw Jakeway's interview in South Wales Argus

Give us Facts not Fiction Huw

The best laid plans of mice and men and all that stuff.

There I was writing an article on Welsh Rugby Legend and Blaina Boy, Mike Ruddock, when I saw that the Chief Fire Officer for South Wales, Huw Jakeway had given an exclusive interview to the Argus - you will have to wait for the link because I want to make a few points before you read it - and realised that Mike would have to wait, so I could get this higher priority article out to you.

Now I would not mind betting that there is NOT one single military officer or serious business manager who does not have a copy of The Art of War on his bookshelf, that was written over 2,000 years ago by one of the greatest, if not greatest military strategists the world has ever seen, a man named Sun Tzu.

Fortunately for us, it seems that Huw has never read it, or he would not be making the mistakes he is making and allowing Blaina, who up until now have been defending their position, go over onto the attack and totally destroy the arguments he is trying to use to close down the most effective station in Blaenau Gwent.

Now I have read my copy of the Art of War countless times and rest assured I have taken every opportunity to learn about my enemy and if you know your enemy and yourself  "you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles."

Huw does not even know the strength of those he is up against or the resources that wait hidden in the woods if you will, that we are ready to call in.

Now if Huw is secretly working to keep Blaina open, he is doing a good job at it, but because I know my enemy, despite wishful thinking on my part, I know that not to be the case and that information will come out in a later article.

Huw is my enemy, he is your enemy, he is our enemy, because he threatens our very lives and the lives of those we care about with the proposals he is making to justify closing down our fire station.

So do not say to me, "don't upset the man he really is nice and just doing his job", the man could well get me killed or even worse, the ones I love more than my own life.

Now I do not know what you think the purpose of this website is, but I will tell you that one of the real reasons is to be able to send messages to those who would shut our fire station down, and rattle our sabres by showing them the growing size of the forces that will be deployed against them should they continue with their madness, because as Sun Tzu said "It is best to win without fighting".

Rest assured, anyone who counts and can have an influence in our just cause will read this article.

Let us hope those words do not come back to haunt him

So now let us look at what Huw Jakeway said in the Argus - I will put his words in italics and bold, leaving my responses in the regular font.

"I want to recognise the tragic events of February 1, 1996," said Mr Jakeway, adding that Blaina station has "phenomenal availability" of 100 per cent.

I have more than a good idea of what Huw Jakeway actually said, when told that he would have to close down Blaina Fire Station, whose name is iconic within the Fire and Rescue Service but will pass on that. 

Next, he reports for once accurately, the statistic that Blaina has "phenomenal availability" of 100 percent.  If closing down an effective fire station is the reward for being so dedicated and committed to the job, then God only knows how he rewards failure.

"But using professional judgement, statistics, the local development plan, all those things have led us to show we can close Blaina station due to the close proximity of Brynmawr and Abertillery, with whole time support from Ebbw Vale, with no increase to risk of fatalities.

Yesterday, I painted a scenario where there was a fire at a local school,  Blaina Fire Station had been closed down, Abertillery was on a shout, Brynmawr was off the run and the nearest station was Ebbw Vale, so to say that there would be no risk of fatalities is simply ridiculous.

"That's going to be difficult for the public to accept because of the emotion, which I really do understand, I get that," he said. "But regrettably, I've got to consider the economic climate."

Now Huw, you really are being naughty here.  You have been provided with a document that lists numerous ways of making savings in Blaenau Gwent Fire and Rescue Service, without the need to close ANY of the five stations down.

I wonder now, if you even took the time to read it, because I am sure that people will make it available to the Fire Authority who will have the final say in this matter.

And no Huw, it is not going to be difficult for the public to accept, because quite simply we refuse to accept it and let you endanger the lives of those we love.  I told you before, we are only now beginning to really fight.

Rebuilding or refurbishing Blaina station, which is full of asbestos, could cost between £1.32 million and £1.44 million, he said. The Ebbw Vale station is always available, but Brynmawr has management issues around contracts and the station needs £80,000 to £160,000 of work, he said.

Why do you insist on making yourself look silly?

Do you think that because we live in a valley we are all sheep who will let you drive us to our slaughter?  Are you not aware that we have construction companies in this part of the world who are looking at the figure you have given for a rebuild of Blaina Fire Station and wondering if you have any intention of releasing just how you came to that sum of money.

With regards to the asbestos issue,  the Fire Service have already stated it is not a factor and according to firms that specialise in asbestos removal, the amount of money required to make Blaina Fire Station "asbestos safe" is a pittance that the people of Blaina could raise themselves in a day if needed.

Now this bit has had many people laughing, when you spoke about Brynmawr station needing between £80,000 and £160,000 spent on it.  Where are you getting these figures from, are you just plucking them from the air?

Imagine if you were to go to a builder and say I want a new house and he said fine, you ask him how much, and he says between 80k and 160k - you would tell him he was crazy and to go and come back with a real figure or more likely look for another builder who knows what he is doing.

Mr Jakeway said the new Circuit of Wales in Ebbw Vale will not require extra fire service provision because that must be done privately by those who build it.

Ok.  Are you saying that they will be providing cover for the roads into Ebbw Vale?  What happens when the builders have gone?  There are going to be more new homes built for the people who come to our area to work and to support the new workers, more road traffic, more road accidents and more home fires  That sounds like increased risk to me Huw.

According to the Fire Service Emergency Cover model, South Wales should experience six and a half fire deaths per year on average, but actually experiences three or four, and aims for none at all, said Mr Jakeway.

If there were only 3 or 4 deaths, then that is because there were many people whose lives were saved because of Blaina Fire Station, but you do not provide the information on the numbers of lives saved and according to the news last night, two old age pensioners were rescued by the rapid arrival of Blaina Fire Engine.

And how the heck can 6.5 people be killed per year?  Say 13 killed over a two year period.  Aiming for no deaths is an admirable desire but can only be achieved if there are fire stations within a short distance of the fire.

I fear, that if you close Blaina, there will not be the reduction in deaths that you say, but an increase in the numbers of deaths and by the fact that you are the man who would be responsible for the closure of Blaina, you in my opinion would be the man responsible for those deaths if they could have been prevented by the earlier arrival of a fire engine from Blaina.

Ok, you waited long enough, here is the link to the full story in the Argus that goes on to say:

Consultation events will take place at Blaina library on October 17 and 18 from 10am to 5pm, and copies of an official survey have been left at Blaina fire station with free post envelopes.

Consultation closes on November 15 and the fire authority will make a decision on the plans at the fire service headquarters, Llantrisant, on December 9.

See you tonight in Salem Chapel.