ESSEX residents are being urged to have their say on the future of the county’s fire and rescue service, whic h faces £15million of budget cuts and fears of firefighters’ jobs being lost.

Union leaders say 179 fire - fighter posts in the county could be under threat, if the cuts are imposed.

Now the service has launched a consultation about its future.

Senior officers have put together a risk management plan to work out how muc h can be cut with the smallest risk.

The service claims a larg e reduction in the number of call-outs and a focus on prevention, rather than response, means savings ar e possible .

But the Fire Brigades Union says estimated cuts of 179 firefighters as part of the plan will put lives in danger .

However, acting chief fire officer, Adam Eckley, said: “We want all residents and businesses to have a look at the plan and let us kno w what you think.

“It is clear the best way t o keep people safe from fire s and other emergencies is to stop them occurring.

“We’ve enjoyed great success in doing so, and are proud of our record. Th e number of emergencies we attend has reduced by half in the past ten years to about 13,500.

“We face a future whic h will be characterised by changes to the nature of the operational demands on our service, alongside decreased funding.

“But we need to ensure, as a service, we remain sustainable into the future.”

This is the first of two surveys.

In 12 weeks, responses will be evaluated and a second consultation, with a list of options, will be set out.

To take part, visit the online survey at tinyurl.com/ nsnsba3