19 August 2005
Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead and a former fire fighter, today expressed his concern at the announcement by John Prescott’s Whitehall department that it is to shut down the local fire control room, replacing it with a distant regional call centre based in Cambridge.
These cuts to local fire services have occurred without any input from local people, and mean that 999 calls will be answered up to 100 miles away - by operators who have little knowledge of Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding villages. The restructuring process will cost a massive £72 million, re-diverting resources away from frontline protection.
Mike Penning asserted,
“Despite the rejection of regional government in November’s North East regional referendum, John Prescott is moving ahead with his expensive plans to create new regional fire quangos. This will mean the local fire control room will be shut down.
“As a former fire fighter I know from personal experience how a regional structure will put lives at risk, since 999 operators will have less knowledge of the Hemel Hempstead area The East of England region contains 5.4 million people, and covers a mammoth area of 19,000 sq km. Civil resilience could also be damaged by placing all our eggs in one basket. If the regional centre is forced offline by a disaster or attack, the whole emergency response will go down across a massive geographical area.
“I oppose this damaging regional agenda. I believe that fire and rescue authorities must remain close and accountable to local people. I fear that local fire stations could be next if distant regional politicians continue with their cuts. John Prescott’s regional empire building is playing politics with fire safety.”
These cuts to local fire services have occurred without any input from local people, and mean that 999 calls will be answered up to 100 miles away - by operators who have little knowledge of Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding villages. The restructuring process will cost a massive £72 million, re-diverting resources away from frontline protection.
Mike Penning asserted,
“Despite the rejection of regional government in November’s North East regional referendum, John Prescott is moving ahead with his expensive plans to create new regional fire quangos. This will mean the local fire control room will be shut down.
“As a former fire fighter I know from personal experience how a regional structure will put lives at risk, since 999 operators will have less knowledge of the Hemel Hempstead area The East of England region contains 5.4 million people, and covers a mammoth area of 19,000 sq km. Civil resilience could also be damaged by placing all our eggs in one basket. If the regional centre is forced offline by a disaster or attack, the whole emergency response will go down across a massive geographical area.
“I oppose this damaging regional agenda. I believe that fire and rescue authorities must remain close and accountable to local people. I fear that local fire stations could be next if distant regional politicians continue with their cuts. John Prescott’s regional empire building is playing politics with fire safety.”