New fire station being planned for Shrewsbury as service plans for climate change and town growth

Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service says it depends on one road in the county town to be able to reach incidents which can be 'compromised by severe weather and flooding' leading to crucial delays in emergency response.

The fire service is consulting on its community risk management plan and proposing ways of coping with house fires, crashes and an increasing risk of flooding incidents driven by climate change.

“Shrewsbury Fire Station, located on St Michael's Street at the northern edge of the town centre, serves as a hub for emergency response, housing three fire appliances and several specialist vehicles, including the service’s water rescue and flood response units," the report reads.

But they say that access to key areas, such as the county hospital, shopping districts, and recreational zones, depends largely on a single main route through St Michael's Street.

“During severe weather and flooding, this route can become compromised, leading to delays in emergency response,” it reads.

As it plans for flooding the fire service temporarily relocates to the West Midlands Ambulance Service site on the western side of town.

This is a 'viable option' when routes are compromised but as Shrewsbury continues to grow there will be increasing demand for emergency response on the western side of town.

Much of the 82 page document focuses on the impact of climate change and flood risks as Shrewsbury expands.

It reads: “To address the increasing risks posed by flooding and the growing demand in Shrewsbury, it is proposed that the service explore relocating a fire appliance to west Shrewsbury.

“This could involve establishing a new station or adapting existing facilities on a temporary basis to mitigate the risk during flooding events.

“By positioning resources closer to the expanding areas of west Shrewsbury, the service can improve response times and better manage flood risks.

“This proactive approach ensures that SFRS is prepared to meet the evolving needs of the community, supporting both safety and operational efficiency as infrastructure expands.”

'Our focus for the next three years'

Simon Hardiman, the county's chief fire officer, said: “This CRMP will set out our focus for the next three years, so it is important that the people of Shropshire have their say.

“The purpose for this is to invest in improvements that will make Shropshire safer and make SFRs a better place to work, so we can deliver the best Service to our communities.”

The Community Risk Management Plan which will run from 2025 to 2028, with a consultation running for eight weeks from November 1. People are being given the opportunity to have their say on what the service should be focusing on in the next three years.

SFRS has 23 fire stations with 28 pumping appliances, supported by a variety of specialist appliances.

Over the past five years they have been called to more than 5,000 fire incidents in Shropshire.

Around half are more serious, primary fires including house fires and vehicle fires, and the other half are secondary fires for example rubbish fires or fires on open land.

The plan takes a look at what they want to do to reduce risks among groups of people most at risk from fires and crashes.

Shropshire crash fatality and injury rate is significantly higher than the national average

They say that over the past seven years, Shropshire's crash fatality/injury rate is 54.04 per 100,000 people, which is significantly higher than the national average of 34.70 per 100,000.

“This comparison indicates a critical need for enhanced road safety measures in Shropshire to address the elevated road traffic collision rates and mitigate the associated risks.”

The service also says it is increasingly called to incidents involving rivers like the Severn and the Tern as well as the Shropshire Union Canal, local pools and lakes.

“Many of the water incidents that SFRS respond to are mobilisations to suicide attempts, a significant proportion of these involve the infrastructure around the county’s waterways like bridges and aqueducts.

“Over the seven year period to April 2024, we attended 200 rescue or evacuation from water incidents in the county.”

They add that climate projections also indicate that, on average, winters will become wetter, and summers will become drier.

“However, rain that does fall in the summer is likely to be more intense which will impact on the frequency and severity of flash flooding, particularly in urban areas,” the report says.

“Increased rainfall will make terrains more hazardous, resulting in the potential for more slips and falls into water.

“Hotter summer temperatures are likely to result in more people participating in water-based leisure activities or entering the water to cool down, which will also heighten water safety risks.

“The summer of 2022 was the hottest on record for the UK, and recreational activities accounted for 58 per cent of accidental drowning fatalities in 2022.”

Climate change

The report adds that climate change acts as a 'risk multiplier' for SFRS.

“In terms of managing the impacts of climate change, both in respect to mitigation and adaptation, SFRS faces a challenge insomuch as not only do we need to manage and maintain our own assets and resources when faced with extreme events but we are also expected to mobilise those assets and resources promptly and effectively in order to intervene and help the public, businesses and communities when their own plans have failed," the report says.

“Our primary role is to help others in emergency situations when they are struggling to help themselves.”

To read more about the proposals and how to respond visit the website.

The deadline for responses is Friday, December 27, 2024.