Fire Service Urged To Hand Bembridge Station To Community

The fire service has been “strongly” urged to consider transferring an Isle of Wight fire station building “to the community”.

Councillor Chris Adams, speaking on behalf of Bembridge Parish Council (BPC), wants the transfer of the village’s fire station from The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority (HIWFRA) to the community.

He said it would “allow its continued operation as a Community Resilience Hub, maintaining and expanding its invaluable services”.

The call comes as the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) carries out a public consultation on major proposed service changes.

Two public meetings were held as part of the consultation yesterday: at Bembridge Village Hall and the Community Hall of Yarmouth and District.

Possible changes include combining the Yarmouth and Freshwater fire stations, permanently ceasing its operational response from Bembridge Fire Station and removing an Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) vehicle from the Island.

A spokesperson for BPC said:

“Bembridge Fire Station remains a strategic and fully refurbished facility. Significant investments have been made in its roofing, ventilation systems, and training rooms.

“It is currently home to the Bembridge Parish Council Community Resilience Group, as well as being a central, equipped base for Community First Responders, and housing not only a Community Food Bank, but training facilities that offer lifesaving courses for schools and residents, empowering the public with essential emergency skills.”

Cllr Adams said:

“Bembridge Fire Station is no longer just a building — it’s a hub for safety, solidarity, and resilience. We fully appreciate the financial pressures on public services, but we strongly urge the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Authority to consider transferring the building to the community.

“This would allow its continued operation as a Community Resilience Hub, maintaining and expanding its invaluable services.”

Commenting on the proposed changes, chief fire officer at HIWFRS Neil Odin previously said:

“We publish a safety plan every five years and we’ve recently redone our safety plan and looked carefully at the data on how our fire engines and fire stations are used.

“The Isle of Wight, specifically, has shown that we’ve got some places that we don’t require anymore – we can use that public money much better.

“So, the focus of this change is making sure that the public money is spent well, whilst providing the best support and protection for our communities.”

HIWFRS has been contacted for further comment.