Fury at the use of $17,000 in public funds by fire departments to decorate fire engines in LGBT rainbow colors.
Three fire departments paid £17k to paint fire engines in rainbow LGBT colors.
Since 2017, Oxfordshire, Dorset & Wiltshire, and Suffolk have invested thousands.
According to Tom Ryan of the TaxPayers Alliance, costly paint jobs do not save lives.
The fire departments have been instructed to “fight fires, not cultural battles” when it was discovered that they spent over $17,000 painting fire trucks in rainbow colors.
Since 2017, a number of fire and rescue service chiefs in England have authorized the colorful paint schemes as part of recruiting and inclusiveness campaigns.
Since the late 1970s, the rainbow flag has been used as a symbol of LGBT pride.
Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service was the fire department that spent the most on rainbow-colored fire trucks, costing £4,320.
“Fight fires, not cultural wars”: Fire brigades have spent more than £17,000 painting fire trucks in rainbow hues.
Several fire and rescue service chiefs in England have authorized the colorful paint jobs since 2017 as part of recruiting and inclusiveness campaigns.
This costly paint work was funded by the service’s yearly budget of $23.2 million in 2020/21.
In recent years, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue has spent around one thousand pounds less, totaling £3,390.
In 2022/23, the service will have a budget of around £61 million, up from $58.5 million in 2022/23.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue spent £2,284 on rainbow-themed fire engine designs, according to a Freedom of Information request by the Sun.
In 2019/20, the yearly budget for the Suffolk fire department was around £21.5 million.
Approximately £35,000 more has been spent nationwide on rainbow-themed things, including flags.
Tom Ryan, from the think tank TaxPayers’ Alliance, said that fire chiefs must recognize that “expensive rainbow wrappings” do not assist in the delivery of “heroic life-saving” fire fighting services that we all need in times of emergency. Pictured: This month, a fire broke out between Southwark Bridge and London Bridge Station. A fireman inspects a structure while other firemen battle the flames.
Tom Ryan (pictured), from the TaxPayers Alliance, criticized the expenditure by stating, “Taxpayers are being taken advantage of in the race to be spot on.”
Tom Ryan, from the think tank TaxPayers’ Alliance, criticized the expenditure by stating, “Taxpayers are being ripped off in the race to be on time.”
He said that fire chiefs must recognize that “expensive rainbow wrappings” do not assist in the delivery of “heroic life-saving” fire fighting services that we all need in times of disaster.
He said that fire departments should “fight fires, not cultural battles.”
Oxfordshire County Council informed the Sun that the rainbow paint job on one of its older fire trucks helped to their “equality, diversity, and inclusion” objectives.
Dorset & Wiltshire used rainbow colors to “encourage diversity,” and the rainbow patterns were “beyond its operational.”
The rainbow colors were selected to encourage inclusiveness, according to Dorset & Wilts.
According to Suffolk Fire & Rescue, the vibrant artwork were a “very inexpensive advertising method.”