Why business communities need fire stations
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by Roger
House FSB chairman, Kent and Medway region
It's not often that I look at issues mainly on my doorstep
but here is an occasion that has so impassioned me that I feel the
need to share it.
As a parish councillor at Horton Kirby and South Darenth where I
have lived for more than 25 years, we are faced with an overt case
of poor public agency thinking and public interface involving the
Fire Authority.
The parish has long had a local part-time fire station, one that
has acquitted itself well on numerous occasions for years. I wrote
about it for the parish centenary history. The fire station now
faces the threat of closure.
The council recently held an open meeting at which the public
could put questions to two senior officers.
We listened, questioned and were left completely unmoved. There
was no manifestation of genuine detailed joined-up thinking.
Now here is a situation where we all understand that financial
savings have to be made, but not at the potential risk of human
life and our property, or the economy.
The fire service is one we have paid for in our taxes and rates
and to start unravelling a great service through what can only be
suggested as poor management is no option.
It is not just the families; it is also about businesses. We are
desperately keen to maintain our micro and small businesses both in
the urban and rural communities.
Those homeworkers and businesses tucked in not easily accessible
places all contribute to economic survival. It is not just about
lives, but livelihoods.
We cannot put any of those at risk. The crux of this comment and
the anger behind it is generated by a further open meeting,
organised by Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon and backed by the local
residents.
Mr Fallon, the public and firefighters attended but there were
three empty chairs.
The fire service CEO felt she would gain nothing from the
meeting and presumably neither did her two colleagues.
At a time when we are talking about the Big Society, when the
public sector is under close scrutiny, you would imagine they would
be there to explain themselves to their "customers".
We went through their report and opened up numerous queries
based on conflicts of information and discrepancies. If a fire
engine based on one site took too long to attend going in one
direction, then surely the case was the same for opposite
route!
We were keen to ask one question in particular. Was it true that
the fire service had purchased 21 fire engines that are too big to
fit the buildings?
At a meeting called by a senior MP, you would have thought that
the senior responsible member of staff would have made herself
available.
After all, we are told by Mr Fallon that she draws a wage equal
to that of the Prime Minister.
The argument is fired up, the debate begins to smoulder, the
alarm bells are ringing.
Monday, January 09 2012
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