Shropshire fire service makes £100k insurance saving

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has saved £100,000 on its next five years' insurance costs because of its safety record, managers said.

It was given a discount on its public and employers' liability insurance because it had a history of low claims and good risk assessment, they said.

In September it announced it may have to lose 60 staff by 2014 to make £3m savings in line with budget cuts.

The chief fire officer asked people to help by improving their fire safety.

The service would still attend emergencies but people could play their part by increasing their own fire prevention awareness to help the service meet demand in the face of possible cuts, Chief Fire Officer Paul Raymond added.

Shropshire has one of the smallest fire and rescue services in the UK and receives £17 per head of population compared with £30 in the West Midlands.