New Fire Station Lacks Facilities
The Royal Borough's proposed new fire station at the council's Tinkers Lane Depot will lack a number of key facilities.
Representatives from the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and Royal Berkshire Frie & Rescue signed a 30-year rent-free lease on Wednesday for a new mini fire station at Tinker's Lane in Windsor, as a result of which Windsor's proper St Mark's Road Fire Station will be sold for development.
A series of freedom of information requests, submitted by Windsor Liberal Democrats' reveal the lack of facilities at the building, which will cost around £500,000 and is being paid for by the Royal Borough. (2)
The building, which will be a modular structure with a design life of 40 years (6), will be served by a fire engine based in Slough and will be missing many of the essentials required to operate as a proper fire station.
Under the Royal Borough Conservatives' plan, the crew of the "Windsor" fire engine have already moved to be based at Slough fire station, and drive to Windsor in the fire engine at the start of each shift.
In future the Windsor Fire Engine will have to return to Slough to refuel, recharge breathing apparatus and conduct training with hoses and ladders.
The changes planned by Royal Borough Conservatives as part of their,
"saving 24 hour fire cover,"
have actually seen Windsor's dedicated fire crews disbanded and Windsor's properly equipped St Mark's Road Fire Station closed. (4)
The Windsor fire appliance is now crewed with just 4 firefighters (instead of 6), drawn from Slough Fire Station on a rotational basis, leading to a loss of local knowledge.
Windsor's fire engine started operating from Slough in October (2013). The changes have also seen a further eleven fire-fighters cut across Slough and Windsor fire stations.
When the Liberal Democrats last ran the Royal Borough there were 29 fire-fighters based in Windsor, in a proper fire station, providing 24 hour fire cover and plans to shut Windsor fire station were quickly stopped. (1)
Facility | Previous St. Mark's Road Fire Station (until October 2013) | Proposed Tinker's Lane Fire Station |
|---|---|---|
Building | Permanent Structure | Modular Structure |
Fire Engine | Full size appliance based in | Full size appliance based in |
Fire-fighters (Day) | 14 dedicated based in 6 man crews | Rotated crews drawn from 4 man crews |
Fire-fighters (Night) | Ad-hoc crews drawn from 4-6 man crews (sizes vary) | Rotated crews drawn from 4 man crews |
Watch Room | Yes | Yes |
Station Manager's Office | Yes | No - The station will be managed by Slough |
Training Room (Computer / paper based) | Yes | Yes |
Breathing Apparatus Service Area | Yes | No - Breathing apparatus will be serviced in Slough |
Breathing Apparatus Gas Supplies | Yes | No - Breathing apparatus will be refilled in Slough |
Store Room | Yes | Yes |
Drying Room | Yes | No - Drying will be done in Slough |
Locker Room | Yes | No - Locker area |
Kitchen | Yes | No - Small kitchen area |
Dormitory / Lecture Room | Yes | Yes |
Dormitory | Provision for 8 fire-fighters | Provision for 4 fire-fighters |
Gym | Yes | No - Fitness training will be in Slough |
Internal Vehicle Bays | Provision for 3 vehicles | Provision for 1 vehicle |
Training Tower | Yes | No - Training with ladders will be in Slough |
Water Pit | Yes | No - Training with hoses and pumps will be in Slough |
Yard | Yes | No - Training with cutting equipment will be in Slough |
Call Out Communications System | Yes | Yes |
Refuelling Facilities | Yes | No - Refuelling will be at local petrol stations or Slough |
Sources
- Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service Freedom of Information Act Request 2013-0015, 4th February 2013
- Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Freedom of Information Act Request 64799, 22nd March 2013
- Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead - Freedom of Information Act request ER64879, 25th April 2013
- Royal Berkshire Fire Authority - FIVE YEAR INTEGRATED RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN 2010/11 - 2015/16 Acttiion Pllan 2013//14 p17
- Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service Freedom of Information Act Request 2013-0063, 6th March 2013
- Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Freedom of Information Act Request 65329, 16th August 2013
Further Reading