The strike, which is the second over pay, began on Friday, November 13, at 9am and is set to continue for eight days.

The authority's Chief Fire Officer says preparations have been made for the stoppage but he has urged individuals to take extra care during the strike.

The Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service says the most important message in the event of fire is to get out and call 999 but the authority has also issued some basic guidelines for the public to follow:

• Inspect your house for fire risks - carry out a thorough inspection room by room checking electrical wiring and equipment and all sources of heat
• Buy or test smoke alarms - if you haven’t got one, get one, if you have got one, test it, clean it and change the batteries if necessary. Replace it if it’s too old.
• Be prepared in case of fire - work out your escape routes and make sure all the family are aware of what to do if a fire breaks out

Hertfordshire has 13 Green Goddesses available for duty. The county normally has 49 fire fighting vehicles available. There are 282 armed forces personnel available for shifts in the county compared with 580 full-time firefighters and retained firefighters.

You can discuss the firefighter's strike in this site's Forum.

November 22, 2002