Firefighters in Norfolk look set for their first strike over pay in 20 years - with fire chiefs readying emergency plans to keep the public safe during walkouts.
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have backed walkouts by 88pc, following a ballot turnout of 73pc, after earlier rejecting a 5pc pay offer.
Ryan Hastings, secretary of the Norfolk branch of the FBU, said: "Our members are incredibly frustrated and angry at the current insult of a 5pc pay increase. It is important to stress only 2pc of this is government funded."
Mr Hastings said the executive council is meeting with the National Joint Council - which sets the pay - next Wednesday (February 8) which is the "final opportunity to offer our members a proper pay rise".
Dates for strike action in Norfolk, were it to reach that point, have yet to be set.
But it would be the first firefighter strike since action over pensions between 2013 and 2015 and the first on pay since 2002/03.
Bosses at Norfolk County Council, which runs Norfolk Fire and Rescue are planning how to deal with strike action.
Ceri Sumner, Norfolk's chief fire officer, said: "We’re supportive of all our firefighters and know that for those dedicated to public service, the decision to strike is far from easy and it is a very emotive and personal decision.
"Locally, we have very good relations with our trade unions and work closely together.
"Within our teams we are making plans to support all staff and to gain additional support to ensure that we continue to carry out our statutory duties."
Margaret Dewsbury, the council's cabinet member for communities and partnerships, said: "Strike action is not a decision taken lightly and we know how difficult the decision will have been for our firefighters as they weighed up the ongoing national negotiations over pay.
"We are putting in place plans to ensure our service is able to continue to save lives during any industrial action and are committed to working with our staff and local union representatives to ensure a return to normal service levels as quickly as possible."
Meanwhile, teachers across Norfolk went out on strike on Wednesday for the first of four days of planned industrial action from the 6,500 local members of the National Education Union in a dispute over pay.
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