Two Public Meetings On Fire Service Changes Called For Next Week

Two public meetings will take place next week to discuss proposed fire service changes, including the possible closure of two stations on the Isle of Wight.

Residents can attend two engagement events next Thursday – at Bembridge Village Hall and the Community Hall of Yarmouth and District – as part of a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) consultation.

HIWFRS is proposing three major changes: 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.

The combination of the Yarmouth and Freshwater stations is said to allow HIWFRS to ‘maintain high levels of performance’ and ensure two fire engines are operated in the West Wight, consolidating staff and vehicles from both facilities.

Following a 15-month pilot, HIWFRS says permanently relocating the Yarmouth crew and fire engine to Freshwater represents a ‘cost-saving of £108,000 annually’.

The proposed closure of Bembridge fire station would allow annual savings of £135,000 – HIWFRS says Bembridge experiences a ‘low number of incidents, averaging only 35 per year over the last five years’.

Reducing the number of ALP vehicles across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from five to four would save around ‘£1 million on the cost of the replacement of an ALP’.

HIWFRS says its data analysis shows only one ALP needs to be maintained on the Island.

Neil Odin, chief fire officer at HIWFRS, 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.”

The Bembridge Village Hall event will run between 10.30am and 12.30pm and the Community Hall of Yarmouth and District session will be from 3.30pm to 5.30pm.

HIWFRS’s consultation closes on July 29 – the online survey can be found here: https://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/community/engagement-hub/iow-consultation/.