Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said the independent review being conducted by Sir George Bain should be speeded up.

But Mr Blair said the firefighters were refusing to cooperate, give evidence or talk to Sir George.

'Needless confrontation'

The industrial action is part of a campaign by the FBU to secure a 40% pay rise for its members.

Full-time firefighters are planning to begin the series of walkouts on 29 October. Strikes will last for up to eight days at a time, and are planned to take place over 36 days.

In the event of industrial action, the Army - backed by the Royal Navy and RAF - is on standby to provide cover with 827 Green Goddess fire engines.

They will be joined by 4,000 part-time firefighters with the Retained Firefighters Union (RFU), who have condemned the FBU's action.

But union officials claimed that workers from other sectors are considering staying at home on strike days after Mr Prescott said the military could only provide basic back-up cover.

Do you have any recollections of the last firefighters' strike in 1977?

Your reaction

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Yes, I will strike and if asked would strike all next year to secure a decent level of pay for firefighters who do risk their lives. I have been hospitalised five times in my career how many politicians can say that?
PHIL, uk

To go on strike will be one of the hardest decissions I will have had to make in my working life and 25 years a Firefighter. It will be by far, more difficult to strike than not. I do not have the luxury of another job and depend entirely on my Firefighting income. I sincerly hope the talks today resolve and put off the forthcoming strike dates.
Alan, Scotland

I was only six years old when the green goddesses were put into action. I remember wondering what all the fuss was about it didn't seem like a big deal to me. Now I know differently as I have a child of my own to worry about and obviously I want the best people in place to protect my family. The best people are the firefighters and they are getting taken for granted just now, �30,000 is a fair wage for what they do.
Stephen McCarrey, Scotland

I remember driving past the local fire station and hooting my support

Steve Priest, England

I remember driving past the local fire station and hooting my support. It seems that again the firemen & women must take drastic action to try and achieve a decent living wage. Shame on Blair and Prescott, if only they hadn't accepted their 40% wage increase then there would be more money to go around!
Steve Priest, England

I was 11 years old when my father was on strike the last time the firefighters were out and I remember the worrying time my parents went through. I am now experiencing the same worries myself as my husband is a serving firefighter in South Tyneside. My children have not had a holiday this year as we knew the strike was pending - as has the Government for several months. Why have they left it until the 11th hour to talk to the FBU and to organize their review? I am very anxious about the impending strike but fully support the firefighters' decision to take action
Helen Brew, England

I was a serving firefighter during the last strike and I'll be striking again. I well remember the blackmail that went on then and the same is happening again. If it's allowed to progress, there will be a strike. We will not risk our necks for the privilege of claiming government benefits, like then. Just like everyone else, firefighters wed and have children. Not every firefighter has the skills or time to take a second job. I'm not the only one. Please take care, everybody. Try to get your government to stop this silliness, please.
Geoff Smith, UK

I was a 'goddess' driver in Cornwall during the last strike.

Chris Kincaid, Singapore

I was a 'goddess' driver/operator and 19 years old in Cornwall during the last strike. No Christmas and 8 weeks of frustration knowing that the proper equipment was behind the picket line. We did the best we could with what we had. Let the lads have the gear and they can do a much better job this time round.
Chris Kincaid, Singapore

I was ten when the firemen went on strike in 1977. My big brother had just joined the Guards and after only 3 months military training he was sent to Chelsea barracks to cover the strike. I felt really scared and worried that he might get hurt. I hated those firemen for doing that to him. But now I find myself having to do exactly the same thing as those firemen, having been a firefighter for thirteen years. I still have the same hate but this time for the government, for giving me no other choice but to do the same thing to some other little boy.
Nick Bulmer, N.Ireland

Having lived in UK through the last firemen's strike in the seventies I remember the harm it caused to the people and to the country at large. The damage to come will last a long long time. To the firemen I say: if you are prepared to risk innocent lives, then you do not deserve to be a fireman. If you are so unsatisfied with your pay or cannot wait for the pay review, then I suggest that you change your job, but at no point do you have the right to place innocent people at risk when your argument is with the government of the day and not with the people.
Michael Farrugia, Malta

The strike in 1977 caused me no end of grief. As a farmer, it was unlucky that one of my barns was burned down but what turned out to be more damaging was the attempt of the army to put it out. They destroyed my rapeseed crop.
Sidney Green, England

My husband commanded a Green Goddess

Z. Walker, UK

My husband commanded a Green Goddess in the last strike. The crews lived in an old aircraft hanger with no heating, sleeping on camp beds, their washing and toilet facilities were across the parade ground. I was left 200 miles away with three young children for the whole of the Christmas period. My husband had no overtime no time off in lieu and very little in the way of thanks.
Z. Walker, UK

My recollection of the last fire strike was that it precipitated the downfall of a Labour government. Good going comrades! Glad to see self-interest is still a good solid left wing ideal.
John Simon, UK

I was serving in the army based at Chelsea Barracks during the last strike. Although arson was rife, people gave us support and it was still a good time.
Andrew Pepe, UK

I remember feeding the firemen mince pies

Anne Bennett, Canada

I remember feeding the firemen mince pies, as a thank you for showing the government how badly the servicemen were paid compared to civilians. We were in Bath at the time, and my husband was with the Royal Navy then.
Anne Bennett, Canada

I remember when I was a child standing in my bedroom, looking across the road at a bale of hay on fire and a Green Goddess putting it out.
Rod Stuart, Belgium

As Christmas 1977 approached I was returning home from evening classes when a convoy appeared. Led by a police motorcyclist came two Green Goddesses (or should that be Goddi?). These were obviously crewed by the Royal Navy since in the finest traditions of the service the roof of the lead vehicle carried a mast flying the white ensign and the second an illuminated Christmas tree at the mast head, like all good ships of the line.
Graham, England

I was on the picket line

Steve Hill Britain

I remember the strike of 1977-8 I was on the picket line then having to take industrial action was hard to take but justified due to the low pay we received then. With the settlement that came out of that dispute although not what we wanted but agreeable to it looked like the fire service personnel would never have to go into dispute again over pay!
Steve Hill Britain

I was only 13 years old during the last firefighters' strike, but even at that tender age I knew right from wrong. I saved up my pocket money and bought a Christmas tree to cheer up the firefighters manning the freezing picket line near my school.
Calvin, London

I was only five years old, yet I still remember the 1977 strike destroying the "hero" status of the firemen. The armed forces instead took their place - both literally and also in my childhood affections.
SP, UK

My dad was a fireman during the first strike of 1977 and in his first year of marriage to my mum. It was a hard time for them as none of the firefighters ever expected the strike to last as long as it did. My parents were luckier than many others as they did not have any children at the time. Even so they had to survive with help from family, neighbours and friendly members of the public who gave them food and money.
Lynn Goring, England