Wednesday 16 March 2016

Kind words from a Fire Officer on helping them - help us!


Very nice to get some nice words from a Fire Officer for help that I did when they contacted me about the issue of the 2nd fire engine  being removed from Wigan Fire Station. This was a serious concern for me and I am glad I was able to help. I believe that even 2 fire engines in Wigan fire station for Wigan is not enough. Having that reduced to 1 would seriously put lives at risk, I believe. The Fire officers put their lives at risk saving our lives and I believe we should help them - help us - as much as we can.


Anyway here are the kinds words below.

In November 2015 the Chief Fire Officer Peter O’Reilly (CFO) conducted a live broadcast from Training and Development Centre where he set out plans to remove second pumps from all stations in response to cuts required from central government and local authorities. W54 Wigan has a second pump and it therefore follows that these proposed changes would be implemented at this station with a removal of the second pump and the introduction of a Community Response Vehicle.
Concerns at Wigan were such that Operational personnel requested the CFO to attend W54 on 22nd December to hear a business case to retain the second pump as a special case. The details of this case are set out in this document.

At 32 square miles Wigan station serves the largest area of any station in GMFRS with 11 wards and a combined population 0f over 155,000 people as a sleeping risk. This figure rises significantly during the working day. In the last 12 months Wigan pumps have mobilised approx. 2,000  times and an additional 38 times out of county in support of Merseyside and Lancashire.
63% of these turnouts were for the second pump.

We decided to contact local MP’s and councillors regarding this change and inform them of the potential risk that removing the 2nd appliance could cause. I met with Councillor Fairhurst and outlined the issue’s and had a good chat with him, He was very supportive and immediately got In Touch with the Greater Manchester fire authority to express his concerns. I met with him on the Monday and on the Thursday we had it fed back to Wigan fire station that Wigan will remain 2 pumps full-time for the foreseeable future.

Everyone at Wigan fire station were very grateful for the work he put in and we would have no issue’s contacting him straight away in the future regarding any problems he may be able to help us with.

I would like to thank the Fire Service for all their help and service they give to us.

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