00:00We will stand firm and we will fight like hell.
00:04Hundreds of firefighters and their families making a last-ditch stand against service cuts in the heart of Maidstone.
00:13We're in a better place because people like yourself have come out and made yourself loud and made yourself heard.
00:18This week the Kent and Medway Fire Authority will vote on proposals to close four fire stations
00:25which make up plans to phase out part-time firefighters that are on call to respond to emergencies.
00:34Union bosses warn more than 60 jobs could be on the line.
00:39We had 462 firefighters in Kent, cut 60,010, so we don't want to see any further job losses or
00:45station closures.
00:46Kent Fire and Rescue Service say these changes are in response to growing financial pressures.
00:53The chief executive of the service previously told us that reducing the number of on-call firefighters
01:00would help free up more resource elsewhere.
01:03So what we're trying to do is convert where we have stations where there's very little demand
01:08and quite difficult to recruit firefighters as well after many years of trying,
01:12convert that money into creating whole-time firefighters
01:16where it means we get much more guaranteed daytime cover where we have our greatest risk.
01:20The proposals have faced fierce opposition.
01:24MPs from both sides of the political divide warn rural communities will be left in a worse place
01:31as a result of cuts.
01:34The temperature in this part of the country is rising every year, so rural areas are in more risk.
01:40We've had several fires loaded just in the last few days.
01:42We're planning to cut the fire service now. It's just crazy.
01:45If the vote passes on Thursday, the proposals will be sent out to public consultation
01:52before a final decision is made.
01:55Kent Fire and Rescue say it's all about spending money more effectively.
02:00Firefighters here are less convinced.
02:03Olly Leader at County Hall
02:05Firefighters here is a run in the next few months of the future.
02:05Paper like when the activity is not undercardment and people are called
02:06The Minions of the対象 in this case
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