Fire stations in England ‘falling apart’ amid £1bn funding cut, chiefs say

Exclusive: National Fire Chiefs Council warns of pressures, with callouts up 20% in a decade as firefighter numbers fall

Fire stations in England are falling apart", fire chiefs have warned, with funding plummeting by an estimated 1bn in the last decade as callouts have increased by a fifth.

Fire and rescue must not become the forgotten emergency service", the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) urged, warning of mounting pressures that risk undermining public and firefighter safety", as it responds to more 999 calls with fewer firefighters.