Overview

• Three people died after a helicopter crashed near Whiteley Bank on August 25, with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service first on scene.
• The Fire Brigades Union says a crash 24 hours earlier might have gone unanswered because the service was in a degradation plan with 19 appliances across the region, including three on the island.
• Assistant chief fire officer Rob Cole says contingency measures ensured a swift response, including recalling staff to duty and repositioning appliances to maintain cover.
• The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Authority is set to consider £1.6 million in frontline savings on August 29, which the union wants deferred in favor of using £23.9 million in usable reserves.
• A recent HMICFRS inspection rated the service inadequate in staffing and skills, and the union notes firefighter numbers have fallen by about a quarter since 2010 with further reductions cited at up to £2.5 million over two years.