Fire Engines Photos

When the relevant authorities in Staffordshire sold (to Asda) the centrally-located land on which the town's former fire station stood, I think they made a bit of a booboo. This state-of-the-art station was then built on the north-eastern edge of town near the university, and all was well.

Then a recent study highlighted the difficulty that fire crews have in responding to incidents in the south-western side of town within the strict time limits set-out by central government. As a result a second station will be built there to address this. But when you consider that the new station in the Rising Brook area of Stafford will be retained, you have to wonder whether this will actually improve attendance times, and make local residents any safer.

Bad planning? Progress? Or just a band aid? I know what I think . . .

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 19 August 2008.

In Aberdeen they just changed the risk level of certain areas of the city so they didn't need to build new stations as the city increased in size! Two new stations were planned then cancelled as they had to cut costs...

Added by Andy on 19 August 2008.

I agree on the bad planning, however I have no doubt the accountants were too tempted by the money available from the location, afterall its a prime spot in the middle of Stafford!
It does take a while for them to get into town...negotiating the Weston Road into Stafford at rush hour must be nye on impossible!

I get the impression that moving Staffords 2nd Pump to a retained station at Rising Brook is just a cost cutting measure.

In their defence, if you check the stats on Staffordshire Fire Service's website it seems to suggest that Stafford is one of the less busy Wholetime Stations in Staffordshire, so maybe its not worth keeping 2 wholetime pumps here?
Just my 2 pence!

Added by David Sapsford on 19 August 2008.

David, I am a regular visitor to Staffordshire R&RS's website, and have never seen any stats that depict a station's call-out records. Could you please let me know where these figures are on the website, as I find turnout figures rather interesting. Years ago, I had access to such figures and as I recall Stafford was a very busy station just behind Hanley and then Newcastle in total.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 20 August 2008.

Ok ill send it to you in an email, I put them all into an excel document (was very bored one day!). the Stats date from 2002-2005 but are still fairly indicative id imagine.

Added by David Sapsford on 20 August 2008.

Hi Yelp & David the Stafford county town fire station is now reduced to x1 F/T Ladder all the rest i.e. the the much promoted Pump-RT much promoted TRV and Platform and HRT have all gone and the RT station at Rising brook covering the south of town when its on the run.Now the purpose built station is being reduced from a x4 pump bay establishment to x1 bay to accommodate the new Life skills and learning centre and yet more millions of pounds being spent/wasted.

Added by Ray Calladine on 30 January 2017.

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