A 'PEACEFUL PROTEST' is set to be held outside Deeside fire station later this month, in opposition to the potential cuts to services.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority recently launched a public consultation seeking the views of residents over the future of emergency coverage across the region. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

Among the proposed changes was the transition of Deeside Fire Station’s nighttime staffing from full-time firefighters to the Retained Duty System (RDS) format. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

If granted, that could result in job cuts and the re-assignment of 28 full-time firefighter roles, including from Deeside.

The proposed changes - along with those suggested for the Wrexham area - have faced strong opposition from members of the public and MPs alike.

As such, a protest is being planned to take place outside Deeside fire station at the end of this month.

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People are expected to gather at the building, based in Queensferry, from 3pm on September 30 to show their support to their local firefighters.

An accompanying petition entitled 'Save Deeside firefighters' set up by Mell Jones has also gathered 1,296 signatures (correct at time of writing).

Mell said: "Our fire fighters do an amazing job and we need to support them. There are hundreds of new houses being built, but they are also taking away essential needs. Please support this petition and save our local firefighters."

Mell added: "This needs to be stopped before lives are lost. Firefighters are important!"

The consultation over the proposed changes is due to come to a close on September 22.