FIRE UNIONS are planning to fight plans to axe brigade-based control rooms in favour of central call centres.
At the moment there are 46 control rooms in England, including West Yorkshire's at Birkenshaw, but the government wants these streamlined to nine to improve efficiency, flexibility and security.
The first regional centre should be on stream by early 2007 with the centre covering Huddersfield and the rest of West, South and North Yorkshire up and running by October 2008.
But Mick Headon, acting regional secretary for the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the plans would be opposed.
He added: "It will mean job losses in local control rooms.
"It's about local staff in control rooms knowing the area, so they don't get villages and towns mixed up which has happened in other places."
Three contractors have tendered for the new centres to the Office of The Deputy Prime Minister.
The preferred bidder for Yorkshire will be announced next year.
Details of the location of the regional centre have not yet been revealed.
