Fire and rescue companies - unfair competition?

I usually write a ‘humorous’ blog but the following, believe me, is no joke!

Did you know that fire and rescue services have the right to trade commercially?

Well yes they do! Fire and rescue services have the right to trade as long as they do so with ‘arms length’ companies, and there is government guidance as to how this should occur. But the guidance does not address the use of the fire and rescue brand and it is the latter about which the Fire Industry Association (FIA) has severe reservations.

The fire and rescue service brand has enormous value and has been developed using taxpayers’ money. In general, the ‘arms length’ companies formed to date are using the brand of their associated service – surely this is using taxpayers’ money to subsidise the trading company? Thus one has to ask the question as to whether these trading companies are truly operating at arms length?

In the absence of guidance from the Department for Communities and Local Government, it is likely that the only way forward to resolve the ‘branding’ issue will be via the judiciary, and the FIA has commenced investigating what it needs to do to prepare for this day in court.

In summary, the FIA has no problem with fire and rescue services trading, as long as they do so in accordance with the guidance, and as long as they do not use taxpayers’ money to subsidise their operations – for example via the use of the fire and rescue service brand. Indeed, the FIA will welcome into membership any of the arms length trading companies as long as they meet the membership criteria.

Back to the ‘humourous’ (well in my opinion anyway) approach next time!