New fire engine to arrive in Ellesmere in days
A new fire engine will arrive in a town in the next few days, it has been confirmed.
The engine will be available from Ellesmere Fire Station from Saturday and will replace an older vehicle.
It will be bigger than existing engines and will feature specialist equipment to help deal with road traffic collisions as well as be able to carry on board more water.
Details of the new engine were revealed at a meeting of Ellesmere Area Local Joint Committee, which was held at Welshampton Parish Hall.
Speaking at the meeting, Steve Moorhouse, from Ellesmere Fire Station, said: "This will be the first new fire engine we have ever received. This is a big thing for us.
"It will be physically bigger and heavier. It will be able to carry nine crew members than the eight previously.
"It will be able to carry more equipment and 3,000 litres of independent water compared to the 1,800 we can carry now."
Concerns were raised about how the bigger engine would deal with the area's narrow roads, which Mr Moorhouse acknowledged would be a problem.
Councillor Alan Clarke, mayor of Ellesmere, asked whether firefighters in Ellesmere will now be expected to travel further afield to deal with incidents.
But Mr Moorhouse said: "Hopefully it will not mean we will be taken out of the area. That is not its purpose."
Details of the cost of the new fire engine were not revealed.
Mr Moorhouse also told the meeting that Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is always on the lookout for new firefighters.
"Either the majority can't do it or others don't want to do it," he added.
Meanwhile, Constable Paul Crump, from the area's local policing team, said the relocation of officers to a new home has been working well.
Police are now based in Ellesmere Town Hall following the closure of the town's station.
Constable Crump said: "Sharing the town hall is going well. We have not fallen out with anybody."
