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Isle Of Wight Firefighters On 24-Hour Shifts As Part Of Coronavirus Measures

Some Isle of Wight firefighters will temporarily work 24-hour shifts for the foreseeable future, in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The Isle of Wight Council says the same level of cover to the community will be maintained however. The local authority says it is cutting shift changeovers by half in order to 'maintain a safe and healthy workforce'. An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said: "In line with the government drive around self-isolation and social distancing, as a fire service we are undertaking a number of changes to maintain a safe and healthy workforce while providing our essential frontline delivery." Other changes are also being implemented across the Island's fire service. A spokesperson added: “These include following guidance from Public Health England to ensure crews have the appropriate ‘personnel protective equipment’ and locking down fire stations for essential personnel only. As Green Watch, Newport, have eluded to, another action identified was by temporarily undertaking 24 hour shifts, we can maintain the same level of cover to the community but reduce our shift changeovers by 50 per cent.”

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