MORE firefighters could be on duty in the Kidderminster area to save more lives if plans put forward in a review of emergency cover by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority are approved.

New staffing proposals have been put forward after software issued by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister predicted that one less person would lose their life in emergency incidents every two and a half years if second fire engines at Kidderminster and Redditch were crewed by wholetime staff 12 hours a day, seven days a week during busy periods.

Currently just one appliance at Kidderminster Fire Station is crewed by 32 wholetime staff and the other is crewed by 16 retained firefighters.

The authority is now proposing the second fire engine at Kidderminster Fire Station should be crewed by two watches of wholetime firefighters, providing seven days a week cover between the hours of 7am and 7pm and manned by retained firefighters at all other times.

When this recommendation - in the Draft 2006/2009 integrated risk management plan - was run through the software, it predicted it would save one life every five years and reduce fire losses in commercial and industrial premises by around £37,000 per year.

These proposals are due to be discussed by the fire authority tomorrow at a meeting at County Hall in Worcester and, if approved, will go out for public consultation with the aim of implementation next April, spokesman Alec Mackie said.