FIREFIGHTERS were last night on course for a series of 48-hour and eight-day strikes after voting overwhelmingly for industrial action.

The strikes will start on Tuesday, October 29, and run through to Christmas Eve, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) announced.

The union balloted 52,000 of its members across the country with 87.6 per cent voting in favour of action in pursuit of a near 40 per cent pay rise.

Union leaders said the result showed the huge strength of feeling among rank-and-file firefighters.

But Government fire service minister Nick Raynsford said the strike decision was "wretched and wrong".

He warned: "People's lives will be put in peril in pursuit of a pay claim for rises of 40 per cent."

Last night, as the military stepped up preparations to use ageing Green Goddesses to replace fire engines, fears intensified over the level of cover that would be available.

John Doyle, chief fire officer for Cleveland Fire Brig-ade, predicted potential catastrophe on Teesside if a major incident occurred at one of its chemical plants.

He said: "The potential is extreme and acute in Cleveland. There are more petrochemical plants here than in any other part of the country.

"We have also raised the point with the Government about what happens during a terrorist attack when these strikes are on.

"Again Cleveland offers a unique risk.

"This action is unnecessary and the lives of the public should not be put at risk."

Fire chiefs are in talks with police to discuss the possibility of setting up "no-go areas" for traffic to reduce the possibility of a major incident.

A total of 827 Green Goddesses will be available to provide cover for the UK's 3,000 civilian fire engines on strike days.

Earlier Andy Gilchrist, the FBU's general secretary, said it was still not too late to settle the dispute and urged the Government to wind up the "farcical" review into pay and conditions it has set up with the aim of heading off disruption.

"Every single firefighter knows only too well the risks involved in withdrawing their labour from an emergency service," he said.

"But our members are absolutely determined to end the tradition of low pay in the fire service."

Mr Gilchrist said the union had decided against taking action on November 5 or over the Christmas period because the dispute was not with the public.

He attacked Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott over his role in the dispute and said he should "put down his megaphone" and pick up the phone instead to help restart pay talks.

FBU North-East regional chairman Steve Gregg said: "We fully expect every FBU member to be on the picket lines come strike day.

"Firefighters risk their lives every day and continue to spiral down the pay league, which cannot be right."

Ian Moore, who has been co-ordinating the pay campaign in County Durham on behalf of 600 FBU members, said: "The vote for strike action indicates the strength of feeling of firefighters.

"The membership is determined, and it is now up to the employers to return to negotiations and resolve the matter as soon as possible."

A spokesman for the employers' organisation which represents fire authorities across the UK condemned the strikes as "completely unnecessary".

Dave Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said a 40 per cent rise, if won by firefighters, would lead to an inevitable rise in council tax.

"We simply cannot afford 40 per cent particularly when most local government settlements have been in the three to four per cent range," he said.

Firefighter Anth Collins, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, said: "We don't want to do this, but a strike has been on the cards for years. All the time we have waiting for improvements to pay which have never come."

How the region plans to cope

EMERGENCY plans were being drawn up across the region last night to cope with the walkouts.

But police and fire chiefs admitted only a "safety net" service would be available.

In Cleveland, nine Green Goddess fire engines, six breathing apparatus teams and one rescue tender will be available.

The Army will answer fire calls and Royal Navy and RAF teams will deal with serious road crashes.

All 999 fire calls will be diverted to a joint operations room, which will be assessed by senior fire brigade officers. Military teams will be given police escorts.

Chief Superintendent Jeff Evans, of Cleveland Police, said there would not be sufficient resources to answer calls to people trapped in lifts, or deal with rubbish fires where there is no risk to life.

Officials have also spoken to the Government about limiting the movement of tankers carrying fuel and hazardous materials as a precaution.

In County Durham, ten Army Green Goddesses will move into Territorial Army and Air Training Corps Centres in Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle, Durham City, Chester-le-Street, Newton Aycliffe and Darlington; police stations in Crook and Seaham; and industrial units at Consett and Peterlee.

There will also be one RAF rescue vehicle, equipped with cutting equipment, based in Durham City and breathing apparatus teams in Darlington, Durham City, Bishop Auckland and Peterlee.

Emergency calls to the fire service will be transferred to a joint control centre at Durham police headquarters.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said it would have 16 Green Goddesses and eight breathing apparatus rescue teams, about a fifth of its usual strength.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it would release its plans for strike days following a meeting with police and the Ministry of Defence next week.

The strikes are not expected to affect the region's two airports, Newcastle and Teesside, which have their own fire and rescue teams.