Reminder: Fire & Rescue Consultation until 19th June 2020

This is a reminder, further to my blog written at the end of April, that the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is undertaking a public consultation of its policy document Planning for a Safer Future (website). The survey will stay open until the end of next week, Friday the 19th of June 2020. The subsequent findings will be considered at a Fire Authority meeting in September 2020; the detailed 62 page document, and a link to the survey, can be found at the website.

The recent fire at the Filsham Reedbed wildlife sanctuary (blog) reminds me of how important these plans will be...

A petition has been set up which rejects cuts that "will negatively impact public safety as well as firefighter safety and will also impede firefighter's ability to rescue and assist members of the public." 

The petition also highlights specific cuts to Hastings, which include downgrading "The Ridge fire station from 24hr immediate response to only daytime immediate response" and cutting "dedicated crews for aerial appliances in Hastings." 

I have read through the 62 pages of the consultation document, and the plans also appear to have a positive side for Hastings, again, please remember that I am not an expert in this area, so you need to come to your own opinion, considering those who have devised the plans, and those who oppose those plans, for advice. What it does include is an additional fire engine at the Bohemia Road fire station. The paper argues that "Bohemia Road has a significantly higher risk profile than The Ridge" and "Bohemia Road responds to some of our most deprived areas and our analysis shows there is a strong correlation with deprivation and the number of fires that occur."

There is further analysis concerning types of incidents that each station attends, and regarding aerial appliances, and, as I said above, there is substantial detail provided, but I am not an expert; should you want to find out more, go to the Service website. Paper copies of the consultation document can be requested by writing to: 

Planning for a Safer Future 

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service HQ 

Church Lane 

Lewes BN7 2DZ