‘We tackled fires for decades

Whether there is a serious accident, chimney fever or a cow trapped in a pool, when the call devices went out, they were on the first place on the stage.

Firefighters – mainly in rural areas with a lower population density than larger cities – are emergency interventions that live near local fire stations and jump to a device when necessary.

However, despite decades of service, many of them have not been entitled to receive a pension until recent years.

But some retirees say they still expect – not only for pension, but for an open indicator of when to come.

These include Roger Dunton, who says that he was probably the oldest “plaintiff at the local station in Leicestershire.

BBC standing in front of bright red devices at the Harborough station, where he served the community for 28 years, said that his work was “escaped from children and parties, escaping from Christmas food and seeing all kinds of”.

“Absolutely, when I packed them all, I noticed how much commitment it was.”

“Because then [after I retired from my firefighter job] We can plan something with my children and my wife.

He continued: “It was more commitment than we actually noticed.”

The 78 -year -old, who also serves as a union representative for the firefighters held, says that he does not regret nothing, but he believes that they should take the money they have entitled.

“Many people here have made a 24 -hour commitment,” he said.

“My biggest problem was that many people I represent is no longer with us.

“So I work with some widows to see if they are entitled.”

Mr. Dunton said the union was fighting for pensions of firefighters who were held in the 1990s without being successful.

However, the Union of Fire Departments (FBU) later introduced an allegation of approximately 11,500 Employment Courts on behalf of the civil servants held in 2000, and they were ultimately approved in the Lords Assembly.

Later, more negotiations took place in 2015, which allowed the firefighters, who were settled and kept in 2015, to demand their pensions dating back to July 1, 2000.

This filed a separate lawsuit to force a plaintiff to support the access to a pension plan in the European Court of Justice, and it was successful.

He created a precedent that gave FBU the opportunity to re -enter negotiations.

These negotiations result in more changes that allowed firefighters serving between April 2000 and April 2006 to demand retirement for all their careers.

They still have to pay their pension contributions, but this invoice can make the last payments they owe.

In total, how much money is dependent on factors such as how much the time offered, how busy the firefighters and which rank they reach.

Mark Rowe, the national officer of FBU, says, “A complex issue of the right to pension of the firefighters.

“There is one more thing in court – something is changing – and we went back to the drawing board.”

“One of the problems [the administration of pensions] It was done within the company.

“When the cuts come– These were the first to go because they had to prioritize the front response – so the climax of the problems.

“Holded firefighters now have the right to request back their retirement money, where they have been unjustly rejected during their careers.

“In some cases, delays in employment courts continue to offer an obstacle to our members that they owe them in time.”

West Yorkshire Pension Fund, Leicestershire Fire Department and Rescue Service Manager also controls his pensions for other brigades across the country and said that it was dealing with “many cases for firefighters held”.

“Related calculations are usually complex and require payment information to return for several years.” He said.

“Most of the firefighters, who are suitable for additional pension aids, have not yet paid the plan and will have the cost of membership to be deducted from retirement aids when they begin to pay.

“All payments will be added back and members will receive interest for pension or collective payment debts.

He continued: “We increase the source in this field and we process these cases as quickly as possible.”

Malcolm Moss joined the Billesdon Fire Station in 1972 and retired as a watch manager and station commander in 2008.

He said that his 35 -year career was paid as a firefighter held for six years.

However, the latest court decision means that he is now entitled to receive a pension for his pension, which will increase his pension more than £ 130,000.

Mr. Moss would have to pay £ 22,000 to unlock his pension.

However, there is no access to the rest of the pension with the collective payment to be given yet.

Mr. Moss, who was given a praise to save a man’s life and was appointed as a MBE for his services, said, “We were very disappointed that we should come so much with our struggle to get our rightful pensions.

“We served Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland for all these years.”

In 1991, Helen Phillips became the first female firefighter in Market Harborough.

Like the others, he had a full -time job. But when the call device rang, it was time to go.

“I was running my career with agriculture,” he said.

“Together, these two work doesn’t always work very well – trying to escape from animal husbandry to call, to fight fire – but it worked.

“This is a mistake. Once you understand it, you miss it.”

David Wilford, a former crew manager, served at the same station as MS Phillips for 26 years and a month.

“My children, when my bipçer exploded, grew up knowing anything but me.” He said.

Ms. Phillips, who retired in 2017, served as a firefighter that was still kept when she joined the pension plan.

Initially, he was only allowed to return to 2006, but the new court decision increased to 2000.

“From 1991 to 2000,” he said. “We want to know what happened with him.

“We didn’t know much. We feel a little outside on a limb.”

Wilford said the stories he heard from other -held firefighters convince him to sign up.

So he kept a smear book for a while, but then he lost all the stories that made Harborough unforgettable.

One of them is a stuck – an iguana report stuck on the roof of a house.

“It was a meter -long iguana on this roof, and we were wondering how this blooming thing would be caught properly because we watched the local press and we watched us.”

“This is not a job – something you like to do.

“Once you go in, we are proud to do this. We served people in Harborough, and we were known for being the firefighters around the town that they know that they would emerge in the middle of the night.”

Wilford said he chose when the second option arrived and that the extra money would facilitate the retirement.

“I want your pension,” he added. “I have another job, I work for an insurance company.

“This will help me do less in my main job as I get older.”

Leicestershire fire and rescue spokesman, said they are aware of the issue.

They said: “This decision had a national influence between different pension plans, and Leicestershire fire and rescue service is not something that has any effect.

“However, we support our former firefighters in their efforts to claim what they are entitled to.”

In October, the managers added a letter to those affected by the plan.