IT was announced today that the new Fire and Rescue regional control centre for the South East of England will be located in Fareham, Hampshire.
The new control centre will be responsible for handling emergency calls and dispatching fire engines to incidents across the region. Currently, there are nine Fire and Rescue Services in the South East region, Kent, East & West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey and Oxfordshire.
The Fire Brigades Union has consistantly been against regionalising control centres, fearing the loss of local knowledge by control centre staff, which they feel could jeopardise the safety of the public.
John Parry, Chief Fire Officer and Director for Community Safety at Oxfordshire County Council, said: ?I am pleased and relieved that the location for the South East Regional Control Centre has been announced at last.
?The delay, following the announcement of the other seven locations on 10 August, has been the cause of a considerable amount of worry and uncertainty for our staff in Oxfordshire.
?Our control staff provide an excellent level of service and now that we know where the new control centre is to be located, we can all work together to consider any implications that this may have for them and Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.
?The transfer to the new location in Fareham is planned for 2008 and we will continue to work towards this. However, I remain concerned about some aspects of the project and will ensure that any issues are resolved and that Oxfordshire residents continue to receive a high level of service from us.?
County Councillor Ray Jelf, Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: ?I am glad that the announcement has been made finally.
?The County Council has been consistently concerned about the ability of the proposed new system to maintain, let alone improve, the efficiency of our Fire and Rescue Service and has lobbied the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that the safety and level of service already provided to Oxfordshire residents will continue to be met.
?Oxfordshire?s Fire and Rescue Service is one of the most cost-effective and efficient in the country and it provides an excellent service.”
?The delay in announcing the new location has proved to be extremely frustrating and unsettling for our staff who may be affected by it within the service. Although the location announcement is important, it is only the first of many decisions that will have to be made.?
Leave a Reply