Date Published: 25/04/2022
ARCHIVED - Mazarron Town Council refuses to cut funding to firefighters
ARCHIVED ARTICLE Regional spending on firefighting and emergency services has been declining in Murcia, but some Town Halls are now fighting back and refusing to put their citizens in jeopardy
The municipalities of the Region of Murcia which are governed by the left-wing, socialist PSOE party, which includes
Mazarrón, have all announced that they will not conform to unilateral decisions by the regional government (led by the right-wing, conservative PP party) to close down fire stations and reduce staffing levels.
Staffing and equipment budgets for firefighters and their crews, which fall under the auspices of the Governing Board of the Consortium of Fire and Rescue (Consorcio de Extinción de Incendios y Salvamento or CEIS) have been steadily dwindling in the Region of Murcia, and the PSOE blames the PP for its reduction in public spending on these vital, life-saving services.
That’s why the political party governing the Mazarrón Town Council has refused to participate in this slashing of public expenditure, and has vowed to continue to finance firefighting services at the municipal level by providing more public funding in their annual town budgets.
This was announced by the PSOE delegate in Murcia, Fernando Moreno, who explained that the “irresponsible and despotic” attitude of the regional government regarding the functioning of the CEIS has generated a critical situation, to the point where local Town Halls in Murcia are no longer able to guarantee a good service, which increases the risk to the citizens of the Region.
“Faced with this situation, the socialist local councils of the Region of Murcia have decided not to participate in a charade to validate decisions made previously and taken unilaterally,” he said. “We have voiced our disagreement on numerous occasions and we are not willing to participate in irresponsible decisions.”
Instead, they are calling on the Regional Government to reverse the deterioration of emergency firefighting services, which it claims is leaving them unable to ensure the safety of both citizens and their own firefighters, and to immediately resolve the serious situation that the CEIS is facing. With “understanding and dialogue”, they say, it should be possible to stop the closure of fire stations and the mounting reduction in staff levels in order to avert the danger that this poses to the safety of the citizens of Murcia.
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