Campaigners launch petition in bid to save 'vital' fire station from axe
A petition designed to save a closure-threatened fire station on the Shropshire/Mid Wales border has been officially launched.
Campaigners say Montgomery Fire Station is "vital" to the area and warned lives will be lost if it is closed as part of cost-cutting measures by fire chiefs.
The petition was launched by Councillor Mike Mills, town mayor and the town's county councillor Stephen Hayes, outside the fire station yesterday. It will now be placed in shops around the town and surrounding villages and Councillor Mills hopes to present it to Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
Councillor Mills said: "I have organised and printed the petition sheets and I have put some in Montgomery Post Office and in shops in the town.
"I have also approached shops in Chirbury, Sarn, Kerry, Forden, Llandyssil and Churchstoke in the hope they will support it.
"I would urge people to please make an effort to sign one as we must continue to provide evidence of support for our fight."
Campaigner Edward Davies said: "Have the people making these decisions ever needed the fire service? Have they been trapped in a car bleeding and in pain, with no way of being freed without them? You need them quickly. Nobody who has been saved by these people would even consider closing Montgomery Fire Station."
Councillor Mills said: "From our initial research undertaken, it is apparent that since January 2013 Montgomery Fire Station answered over 179 emergency calls, 87 of which were first responder related and 92 of which were fire related.
"The majority of those fire calls were supporting the emergency services from either Welshpool, Newtown or Shropshire.
"In my opinion this further emphasises the essential requirement of our station in ensuring adequate safety cover within Montgomeryshire."
Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it has earmarked a number of stations across its area which could face closure.
A spokesman said: "As part of the strategic planning day, members of the fire authority were presented with a number of potential strategic options that could go some way to realising the required savings. No decisions have been made."
