FROME firefighters have warned that proposed cuts to the service by Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) could put lives at risk.
Currently Frome has two fire engines that are crewed by on-call firefighters 24-hours a day. Under the proposal by DSFRS – as revealed by Frome Times two weeks ago – Frome’s second fire engine would be reduced to on-call night cover only, which firefighters say would make it difficult for the Frome service during the day to meet minimum standard response times for emergencies set by DSFRS.
Speaking at a Frome Town Council meeting recently, Frome’s station commander, Phil Van Gorgh, explained, “When we are required to send two pumps to a fire or road traffic accident, and have a minimum standard response time to meet – for a road accident it’s a minimum of two vehicles and eight personnel within 15 minutes – we won’t be able to do this. The emergency response standard set out by DSFRS, which they say we should try to achieve, within this option is not possible.
“Our nearest support comes from across the border from the Dorset & Wiltshire service, which would be Warminster or Trowbridge – their running time on a good day is about 17 to 18 minutes, which to me is unacceptable.
“How long will Dorset & Wiltshire weather this? What they are saving in Devon and Somerset won’t be tolerated by Dorset and Wiltshire long-term – it is not a long-term answer.”
Firefighters also disclosed that according to statistics from April 2015 to June 2019, Frome is the second busiest retained station in the DSFRS region out of 85 stations. And it is the fifth busiest retained station out of 85 stations between 8am to 6pm – the timeframe DSFRS is proposing to close the second fire engine.
Crew manager at Frome Fire Station, Jason Collier added, “The number of incidents of domestic dwelling fires in Frome has increased by 23% from 2017/18 to 2018/19 – even though the national average has gone done, the number our crews are attending has increased.”
“Town should fight”
Jason went on to say that Frome should ‘fight for its second pump’, explaining that the cuts would put lives, properties and firefighter safety at risk.
Frome firefighters are urging the community to attend a public meeting on Wednesday 21st August at Frome Town Football Club at 7pm, to learn more about how the cuts could impact Frome.
Jason told Frome Times, “Why should people come along? This will effect everyone that has the potential to call 999 in the future, either themselves or someone else on their behalf.
“This will impact on whether a fire engine can attend people’s minutes/seconds of need. We as a town and community (as we attend many surrounding villages) need to fight for our second appliance to be available if/when it is needed.”
Low risks
In response to the concerns raised by Frome’s firefighters, a spokesperson for DSFRS said, “Frome is one of 14 fire stations where it is proposed to change the second fire engine from 24-hour on-call cover to night cover only, with the first fire engine remaining as 24-hour on-call cover. Across the service we are matching our resources to risk, which means some resources would be reallocated to areas where they would be most effective, such as in prevention work to prevent fires from happening in the first place.
“The risks in these areas during the day are low and the changes would enable the service to provide on-call recruitment opportunities for people where they live, rather than where they work, and release resources for our community safety work.”
The proposed cut to Frome’s fire station is one of many changes put forward by DSFRS for a public consultation, which runs until 22nd September. Other changes proposed, which have been divided into six options, include the closure of several ‘low risk/low activity’ stations, the removal of all third engines, and removal of some second engines.
The proposals have been made as the service estimates that it needs to make savings totalling £8.4million in the next three years. Over the last five years, the service has already made savings of £12.2million.
DSFRS will also be holding a public ‘drop-in’ exhibition about the proposed six options and the future of the service at Frome Library on Thursday 29th August, 10am to 2pm.
An online consultation survey is also available on the service’s website. For further information, visit: www.dsfire.gov.uk
