THE apparent financial crisis within the Greater Manchester Fire Service is a matter of great concern for us all.

Savings have already been identified with a divisional review, restructuring of senior officers and the use of financial balances.

But, as we report tonight, County Fire Officer George Almond says the brigade will have to save another £2 million in 1999/2000.

There have been discussions involving unions and members of the fire authority to try to identify ways of solving the problem.

Mr Almond is talking about "difficult choices to come" - chilling words when uttered by managers everywhere.

We sincerely hope the extra cash can be found without recourse to job cuts and the closure or downgrading of fire stations here and there.

After all, nobody is suggesting that everything is perfect now.

As we reported earlier this week, the Greater Manchester Fire Brigades Union is pushing for Horwich's part-time station to be upgraded.

Such decisions, no matter how justified, tend to be put to one side when the spending axe is set to fall generally.

In the meantime there will be much head scratching and the Fire Authority Chairman, Cllr Fred Walker, will be making strong representations to the government about "under funding" of pay awards and pensions.

Members of the public have a genuine respect for the fire service and know that they can rely on its professionalism in times of stress.

We fervently hope that the latest budget exercise can be completed without damage to this fine reputation.

After all, balanced books do not seem all that important when the roof is on fire.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.