SIngle centre could manage Shropshire 999 calls

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service believes improvements in IT will allow the authority to join forces with police, ambulance or other fire control centres in neighbouring counties.

The public will soon be asked for their views on a possible merger that would see the department which answers the county's 999 fire calls in Shrewsbury moved to Herefordshire, Worcestershire, or Warwickshire.

Assistant chief fire officer Andy Johnson said: "With IT advances, it should be possible to continue to deliver an excellent service from a single merged control centre.

"We are keen to hear if the people of Shropshire agree," he said.

He said the public had "a powerful voice" in helping to shape the future of the fire service as it tries to make savings of £900,000 by 2020.

The response to consultation on how to save £4 million in staggered schemes between 2010 and 2020 led to the scrapping of a previous plan to close four rural fire stations.

Fire stations in Baschurch, Hodnet, Prees and Clun were spared the axe after Shropshire residents shared safety fears.

Mr Johnson said: "Our fire and rescue service is changing and we value the opinions of people living and working in the county to help shape the future of our service.

"Delivering more for less is an expectation for all public sector services and at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service we want to provide the excellent service that the public expects but for less money."

The possible merger of Shrewsbury's fire control centre with other emergency services would save £300,000 but it could mean moving it out of the county.

There are fears of losing vital local knowledge in directing police, fire and ambulance to an emergency from a large control centre where 999 operatives do not know the area.

But Mr Johnson said IT advances would secure an "excellent" service from one site.

Chief fire officer John Redmond explained: "There is a bit of a history to this entire process. Some years back the Government were going to implement regional control centres.

"Every fire service in the country had a control room, and that number stood at 46.

"This was then cut down and nine regional control rooms were created.

"This project was axed because it failed though and we were asked to come up with a solution.

"We decided that amalgamating services could be a possible alternative.

"The consultation period will go on till July, during which we will decide whether to merge with Hereford and Worcester.

"This will save us money because there will be a reduction in staff numbers, we will be saving up to £500,000.

"The bottom line is that staff numbers will be reduced if we do merge, but a lot of our positions are temporary anyway.

"The whole point of the consultancy process is to say listen, do you want this or not? All our equipment here would be transferred, and we will make use of the empty space."

People are also being asked to comment on a detailed report outlining how the brigade uses future resources to deliver an effective fire and rescue service.

The feedback will be used by Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority to compile its risk strategy.

Fire authority chairman Stuart West stressed that the Shropshire public is "safer than ever before" with a reduction in fires and emergencies over the past decade.

He said this was due to successful prevention campaigns from fire personnel which include targeting every home to have at least one smoke alarm.

But as well as budget cuts there were new challenges with an increasing older and vulnerable population, the terrorism threat, and an increase in flooding, said Mr West.

"Resources have to be prioritised to continue to provide a 'first class' fire and rescue service," he said.

"We need to use the money available to target our resources in the areas of greatest risk to stop fires and other emergencies from occurring in the first place.

"We are proud of the achievements we have attained in past years and will endeavour to maintain this level of service.

"But with the current economic situation and the difficulties facing our communities, we accept this will present a constant challenge."

Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service must continue to save another £900,000 over the next six years on top of £3.2m already cut since 2010.

Firefighter numbers are being cut through "natural wastage" with an extra £400,000 in savings due to be made if proposals for shift changes, which will further reduce numbers, are introduced. Support staff are also due to be cut.

Receiving more than 5,000 calls a year to all incidents, firefighters dealt with a total of 226 accidental house fires and 137 business fires over the past 12 months.

Specialist fire crews audited 1,603 businesses in its bid to reduce fires and there were 917 false alarm call outs to county firms.

A total of 17 water rescues and 39 animal rescues were also carried out in 2013/14.