Fire stations

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 06 Nov, 2011 6:41 pm

Thread moved to this existing one to keep this important topic together: WorldcupUser Location: Joined on: 06-Nov-2011 11:09:43Posted: 2 posts # Posted on: 06-Nov-2011 17:09:34. Edit | Quote Interesting that management have declared that much of Gipton stations station area are in the "VERY HIGH RISK" areas identified where the brigade SHOULD have adequate cover,unfortunately it seems that moving Gipton Station 1.6 km up the road ensures that the public who live in these areas are better served. Well NO WAY because they will have to wait an extra TWO minutes minimum (0n top of current 4 minutes) BEFORE a fire engine from LEEDS can get to them,that's if the inner ring road is not busy or blocked due to standing traffic or if an accident has occurred.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 06 Nov, 2011 9:11 pm

Quite so.Of course, had Metro not installed misguided busways along that section of York Road, there would have been a very handy (and empty) bus lane that the fire appliances could have used. As it is there is a great concrete carbuncle that stands empty most of the time, whilst the emergency services have to fight their way through two lanes of stationary traffic for pretty much all of that section most of the day. No joined up thinking you see.But that is just another factor in why these changes are unsustainable and completely unsuitable. If these changes are forced through, people will die and that is a cold, hard and unpalatable fact.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sun 20 Nov, 2011 6:42 pm

From the YEP:http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 85435Angry residents have vowed to fight back over plans to close their local fire station.More than 360 residents from East Leeds have signed a petition against the closure of Stanks fire station.Locals met at Wellington Hill Community Centre on Thursday, November 17, to discuss proposals from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority which would see Stanks fire station, in Seacroft*, and Garforth* fire station closed and a new one built elsewhere to cover both areas.The plans, which include the loss of one fire engine, have come after the authority’s budget was slashed by 25 per cent, or £18m over the next four years.Neighbouring Moortown could also lose one of its two appliances, which would be replaced with a two-person car.Gipton firefighter David Williams, who lives locally and is secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, led the meeting and is urging locals to write letters to the authority and start petitions. He said: “We are opposed to this as it is putting people’s lives at risk when there is no need.“It is a very dangerous tactic.“Why should we have only three fire engines covering 200,000 people? It just doesn’t make sense to me.”Local resident Vicki Marshall is site facilities manager at the Unilever factory at Coal Road, Seacroft.She said: “The cuts are quite a big worry for us. There are 850 employees at the site and over 60 tonnes of gas.“To have three fire engines within the area and pull them in from other towns isn’t good enough.“The place would’ve gone up in flames.“They might be saving a few quid but they won’t be saving lives.”Stanks fire station has one appliance and 24 firefighters and Gipton Fire Station has two appliances and 47 firefighters.Both are currently crewed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.Anyone wanting to oppose the closure should write to: Stephen Hardy, Consultation Co-Ordinator, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Oakroyd Hall, Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, BD11 2DY, or email: [email protected]* - this is the second time lately that the YEP have stated that Stanks Fire Station is in Seacroft. This is misleading at best (especially as Gipton and Seacroft are adjoining areas). Stanks is actually in Swarcliffe, a completely different area all together.And in a true YEP=-ism there are no plans to close Garforth (that have been announced) - it should say Gipton....

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 05 Dec, 2011 9:16 pm

No apologies for shamelessly pushing this thread back into the forefront.The deadline for your objections is fast approaching. Please take the time to have your say - even if it's only a single line email saying that you object to the plans.To save you the trouble of looking up the address, it is: Stephen Hardy, Consultation Co-Ordinator, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Oakroyd Hall, Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, BD11 2DYor email: [email protected]

jan8 · Post by **jan8** » Tue 06 Dec, 2011 12:53 am

raveydavey wrote: No apologies for shamelessly pushing this thread back into the forefront.The deadline for your objections is fast approaching. Please take the time to have your say - even if it's only a single line email saying that you object to the plans.To save you the trouble of looking up the address, it is: Stephen Hardy, Consultation Co-Ordinator, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, Oakroyd Hall, Bradford Road, Birkenshaw, BD11 2DYor email: [email protected] "Public" consultation ends on 9th December.There are petitions out around the area or you can call into the station to sign one and also a letter to Mr Hardy, as apparently the petition only counts as 1 objection for every 1,000 signatures (I am led to believe).

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Wed 07 Dec, 2011 8:33 pm

I have received a very bvland email in response from the Fire Service, basically telling me all my fears are baseless.I can't help but feel that the decision is already all but made and this "consultation" is mere window dressing to make it look like the public have had their say.The lack of coverage in the local press and the near total silence from councilors and MP's (even when I have tried to engage them) is a scandal in itself.In tonights YEP there is a report of a fire on Tuesday near Whingate Junction* that required both appliances from Stanningley along with the aerial platform and both ordinary appliances from Leeds Central to deal with it (that is 5 appliances and crews).http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 034474That leaves the next nearest appliances at Bradford, Hunslet or Cookridge for all of West Leeds. Indeed crews from Bradford were needed to continue the operation and relieve the on scene fire fighters at shift change. Yet the authorities claim there is still room for cuts!Only this evening I've followed the Stanks fire engine all the way up York Road from Leeds City Centre. I don't know what it had been called to, but that is 5 miles away from base, presumably with both Gipton appliances tasked to the same call or already tied up elsewhere. The fact the Stanks appliance was in the city centre suggests that the Leeds Central crews were also occupied elsewhere too.Please register you comments before 9th December (email and address above in this thread)

jan8 · Post by **jan8** » Wed 07 Dec, 2011 11:21 pm

raveydavey wrote: I have received a very bvland email in response from the Fire Service, basically telling me all my fears are baseless.I can't help but feel that the decision is already all but made and this "consultation" is mere window dressing to make it look like the public have had their say.The lack of coverage in the local press and the near total silence from councilors and MP's (even when I have tried to engage them) is a scandal in itself.In tonights YEP there is a report of a fire on Tuesday near Whingate Junction* that required both appliances from Stanningley along with the aerial platform and both ordinary appliances from Leeds Central to deal with it (that is 5 appliances and crews).http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/n ... 034474That leaves the next nearest appliances at Bradford, Hunslet or Cookridge for all of West Leeds. Indeed crews from Bradford were needed to continue the operation and relieve the on scene fire fighters at shift change. Yet the authorities claim there is still room for cuts!Only this evening I've followed the Stanks fire engine all the way up York Road from Leeds City Centre. I don't know what it had been called to, but that is 5 miles away from base, presumably with both Gipton appliances tasked to the same call or already tied up elsewhere. The fact the Stanks appliance was in the city centre suggests that the Leeds Central crews were also occupied elsewhere too.Please register you comments before 9th December (email and address above in this thread) I am inclined to agree with you that it is a done deal and will go ahead as soon as possible. I think that Stanks' fire engine is being pulled out of the area on many occasions just to prove the point that really its not needed ! They were out all day today and will be away from station area again in the morning .Please take some time to register your dismay at the proposed closures.

jan8 · Post by **jan8** » Fri 09 Dec, 2011 1:53 pm

Last day for objections.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Fri 16 Dec, 2011 8:28 pm

Simply scandalous.Not quite a week after "public consultation" closes and it is announced that the entire closure plan will be put into effect, completely unchanged.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16222191As suspected by many, the consultation period was nothing more than window dressing to make it appear that the public had been allowed to have their say. These plans were set in stone from the moment they were announced.On BBC Radio Leeds this evening, a stand in presenter who normally works on BBC Radio Tees and who obviously had no grasp of the wider picture gave the chair of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority a very easy ride, failing to challenge him on several points that were, at best, clearly inaccurate.How can he say that once Stanks and Gipton fire stations are closed and replaced with a new facility "in Killingbeck", that coverage for East Leeds will be better? There will be a third less fire fighters, crewing a third less fire engines, at a fire station considerably further away from most people on the patch. How is this "better coverage"?I hope he can rest easy in his bed at night.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Tue 27 Dec, 2011 9:58 pm

As a postscript to the enforced closure of Stanks Fire Station, it's interesting to observe that the "underused" Stanks fire station has had two fire engines based there over the Christmas period, rather than the usual one.I don't know what the reasons behind this are (I'd be genuinely interested to know), but a doubling of appliances hardly suggests under utilisation, does it?