FIREFIGHTERS AND local residents in Barnsley have been campaigning to stop
the closure of two major fire stations and the halving of fire appliances in
others. They have been rallying support, by collecting 7,000 signatures so
far, to try to persuade the fire authority not to close Brampton and
Mexborough fire stations and merge them into one. This is part of the Fire
Authority’s Integrated Risk Management Plan.
Angela Waller
These plans replace the former national standard on response times.
Barnsley Fire Brigades Union (FBU) secretary, Jerry Pagan has been at the
forefront of the campaign. He sees the plan as directly affecting lives, as it
ups the response time from eight to 15/20 minutes, dependent on how you
‘score’ under your area’s risk assessment.
"Moving Brampton station to the Dearne Valley will mean response times to
homes in Wombwell will dramatically increase, directly affecting the lives of
residents and firefighters, far from improving safety, as they claim. Fires
will be more sustained with the increased likelihood of property damage."In other rural areas there won’t be enough fire appliances to serve them
if the plans go ahead to halve the provision. A former chief fire officer has
admitted in an area forum that the rural areas need two pumps."The population of the area has grown since the original survey in 1968, so
it is essential to keep the cover at least at its current level."
Local residents have been lobbying the local fire authority at the area
forums, angry at the plans. It was the combined action of residents and
firefighters that saved Ringinglow Fire Station in Sheffield when they
collected 5,000 signatures last year. A fire authority officer said at the
time that you "can’t ignore that type of opposition".
The FBU are continuing to petition at shops in town centres during the
consultation period and are holding public meetings to increase support for
their campaign.
