Emergency planners have been coming together across the East Midlands to make arrangements if firefighters go on strike.

The strikes, which would begin on 29 October, will see Army and RAF Green Goddesses take to the streets in place of the brigade.

Some areas will still be covered by retained firefighters, who are not part of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), which is calling the strikes.

But there are concerns the military does not have the same level of expertise and equipment as the regular fire brigade.

Strike dates

0900 29 October to 0900 31 October (48 hours) 0900 2 November to 0900 4 November (48 hours) 0900 6 November to 0900 14 November (8 days) 0900 22 November to 0900 30 November (8 days) 0900 4 December to 0900 12 December (8 days) 0900 16 December to 0900 24 December (8 days)

On strike days 173 firefighting vehicles in the East Midlands will be off the road, replaced by military personnel in 60 of their ageing Green Goddess fire engines.

In Lincolnshire, the RAF will be taking on the role of the fire service during strike times.

An emergency planning meeting is being held at RAF Cranwell on Tuesday.

How the different agencies, including councils and the military will react to emergencies will be discussed.

Emergency planner Ian Reed said: "We are pretty lucky in Lincolnshire because a lot of services are retained."

He said larger conurbations would be directly affected by the strikes.

Hot working

Derbyshire emergency planning officer, Norman Shaw, said East Midlands Airport would not be affected by the strikes as it has its own permanent brigade.

He said firms in the county had been given advice on fire precautions during any strike action.

"We have called for extra security and extra diligence and to increase the number of fire extinguishers and reduce the number of times of hot working or stop it completely."

In Nottinghamshire the fire service has been handing out similar advice to firms.

A spokeswoman for Nottinghamshire County Council said: "The onus on cancelling events or closing buildings during the strikes is with the organisers or owners really."

Strong feelings

A spokesman for Leicestershire County Council said: "The county council, along with other agencies, is reviewing its emergency procedures and has contingency plans in place to cover the industrial action.

"The council will continue to monitor the situation closely."

Firefighters are demanding a 40% pay rise, which would see salaries for fully-qualified staff rise to about �30,000.

Their local authority employers have rejected the demand and are offering a 4% increase as part of an interim deal.

A total of 87% voted in favour of action, a result Fire Brigades Union general secretary Andy Gilchrist said showed "the enormous depth of feeling" within the service.