that's why we're here

We’d rather have a responsive, fit for local needs, Fire & Rescue Service

Studley Fire Station

Alcester Fire Station

Bidford Fire Station

All information in this presentation has been provided via reliable sources within

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service The Fire Brigade Union

When DCFO Glen Ranger presented his proposal here on 19th October over 300 people heard his CFO Graeme Smith say “If you don’t like what we are proposing, give us something to work with”

Well…….. this is what we think!Please be patient it may take me a little time!

These Local Solutions have benefits for Alcester and Studley as well as Bidford, we are not here to save Bidford at our neighbours expense.The consultation document was deeply divisive, but I feel we have all risen above it and supported each other to make sure we maintain the service we are all used to in our own communities

Just take the time to look at the following figures, and how we suggest WCC/WFRS use them, and see if it makes as much sense to you as it does to us.

The “Local” Solution

The “Local” SolutionIn the consultation document it proposed to convert Alcester to Wholetime and RDS and the closure of Bidford and Studley would free up revenue to help fund it.

No previous survey or study has ever identified a need to place a wholetime crew in our area.

The cost to set the new infrastructure in place is £600 000.00

The cost to run the 5 shift wholetime crew is £1.1 million

This means WCC/WFRS are prepared to commit and invest £1.8million in our areaSo……How could it be better spent?

The £200 000 they would save from closing Bidford & Studley stations would also be available

The “Local” SolutionLet’s take our priority first:-

Bidford 36 Fire StationIf we retain the station

we spend £100 000.00

If we position the new boat here

we spend £ 50 000.00

If we have 4 more RDS firefighters

we spend (For the boat, or other special appliance) £30 000.00

Total:- £000.000.00Total:- £180.000.00

The “Local” SolutionLet’s take our nearest neighbour next:-

Alcester Fire StationIf we retain the station as it is

we spend £100 000.00

If we position the small RTC unit here

we spend £ 50 000.00

If we have 4 more RDS firefighters

we spend £ 30 000.00

Total:- £180.000.00

The “Local” SolutionLet’s take our Studley Neighbours:-

Studley Fire StationIf we retain the station as is

we spend £100 000.00

This station was recently refurbished

£000 000.00

If they have 4 more RDS firefighters

we spend £ 30 000.00

Total:- £130.000.00

Cash Already spent

The “Local” SolutionSo, the total cost of these proposals:-

Bidford 36 Fire Station

we spend £180 000.00

Alcester Fire Station

we spend £180 000.00

Studley Fire Station

we spend £130 000.00

Total:- £000.000.00

The “Local” SolutionRemember how much WCC/WFRS want to spend giving us a 2 fire engine cover for 3 Communities????

Let me remind you……………………………£1 800 000.00

Cost of “Local” Solution……………………..£0 490 000.00

Difference………………………………….. ..£1 310 000.00

So…What could they do with our money……...

Try to get Stratford RDS more available We think so!!

Do more HFSC…………... …………….We think so!!

More Hot Fire Training….. …………….We think so!!

More RTC Training……… …………….We think so!!

Leave Fenny Compton open for a start…….We think so!!

The “Local” SolutionThat initial idea taken from resident’s views and untrained amateurs like me, all sounded good, but it was flawed……...

It won’t work within The Fire Brigade Manual for Firefighter Health and Safety.

If you have a boat… you have to have 2…. as the second boat is stationed to rescue the first boat crew

Also, boats are only stationed at 2 pump Wholetime Stations..

So that rules Bidford out

We haven’t yet established if the same applies to the idea of the small RTC unit in Alcester….however:-

The “Local” SolutionIf you look at the most recent availability figures another option becomes apparent:-These figures are the percentage of time crews & appliances are available.

35 36 37 38Apr 54.19 97.92 86.44 99.37

May 49.33 97.89 85.48 99.73Jun 40.33 98.53 80.49 99.31Jul 31.23 99.93 80.52 93.85

Aug 15.17 97.36 75.91 90.83Sep-09 21.82 99.03 78.48 93.67Oct-09 23.77 99.38 87.76 89.36Nov-09 28.11 99.53 90.83 97.11

35 36 37 38Apr 54.19 97.92 86.44 99.37

May 49.33 97.89 85.48 99.73Jun 40.33 98.53 80.49 99.31Jul 31.23 99.93 80.52 93.85

Aug 15.17 97.36 75.91 90.83Sep-09 21.82 99.03 78.48 93.67Oct-09 23.77 99.38 87.76 89.36Nov-09 28.11 99.53 90.83 97.11

35 36 37 38Apr 54.19 97.92 86.44 99.37

May 49.33 97.89 85.48 99.73Jun 40.33 98.53 80.49 99.31Jul 31.23 99.93 80.52 93.85

Aug 15.17 97.36 75.91 90.83Sep-09 21.82 99.03 78.48 93.67Oct-09 23.77 99.38 87.76 89.36Nov-09 28.11 99.53 90.83 97.11

35 36 37 38Apr 54.19 97.92 86.44 99.37

May 49.33 97.89 85.48 99.73Jun 40.33 98.53 80.49 99.31Jul 31.23 99.93 80.52 93.85

Aug 15.17 97.36 75.91 90.83Sep-09 21.82 99.03 78.48 93.67Oct-09 23.77 99.38 87.76 89.36Nov-09 28.11 99.53 90.83 97.11

The “Local” SolutionOur proposal might not be what you think!

Convert Stratford RDS to Wholetime, because that would:-

•Replace a low availability Retained Crew*

•Be able to house the boat with an available crew

•No Infrastructure on costs… it’s there already

•Have a crew available for any cover moves in the south of the county.

So…What would it cost?????* Offer the RDS firefighters wholetime positions..saves on training.

•Status Quo remains with cross county border support H&W, Oxford and Gloucester. West Midlands are different.

The “Local” SolutionAdditional 17Whole time crew at Stratford… £ 510 000.00

Additional Infrastructure at Stratford………… £ 000 000.00Boat Unit at Stratford………………………….£ 50 000.00Small RTC Unit & crew at Alcester………… £ 80 000.00Additional 4 RDS crew at Bidford*………… £ 30 000.00Additional 4 RDS crew at Studley*………… £ 30 000.00* These extra crew would increase availability to 100% at a fraction of the cost of wholetime.

Total……………………………..……………£ 700 000.00Remember the total from earlier………… £ 1 800 000.00That leaves …………………………………....£ 1 100 000.00Plus savings from Stratford RDS ……………..£ 100 000.00Net Savings………………………………… £ 1 200 000.00For what, I hear you ask????

The “Local” SolutionAnnual cost of Bidford 36……………...…… £ 103 000.00

Total………………………………………… £ 307 000.00

That leaves over £790k* to improve the training of all the wholetime and RDS firefighters, in this area alone, in all the required disciplines.

We do know what these costs are and this is well in excess of any spend on this in previous years.

That leaves a surplus ….……………………….£ 893 000.00

Annual cost of Studley 38……………...…… £ 104 000.00Annual cost of Alcester 37……………...… £ 100 000.00

Annual cost of Fenny Compton???????????. £ 100 000.00

The “Local” SolutionThe most important concern to Bidford Residents to date:-

Response times.We have had numerous assurance that our response time will be Bidford’s Time + 18 seconds from AlcesterA “Simulated Run” took 5 min 57 sec. On a dry day @10.15am in a warm empty vehicle, driven by an experienced driver.

However, historical, factual data….collected over 5 years……..

Shows an average of 8m13s travelling, added to the wholetime agreed time of 2 minutes turnout for firefighters to be in the appliance seated and belted, makes the shortest time a wholetime crew could get into Bidford is 10 minutes……much longer if you were in Barton, Bickmarsh or Marlcliffe.

There is an argument that this is within “Targets” for a urban location, we already have better than that ….average 5 minutes.. why should we accept change??

The “Local” SolutionWhilst we all accept that strategic Planning is a job for the experts………...

It should never be at the expense of:-

Common Sense………… Increased response times!!!!!

Sacrificing property………….Increased response times!!!!!

And above all:-

SACRIFICING LIVES………Increased response times!!!!!

And above all:-

SACRIFICING LIVES………Increased response times!!!!!

Constant glib assurances about unaffected response times will never, ever convince us!

The “Local” SolutionSo Gentlemen of tonight’s panel:-

•We don’t need to constantly remind you we think your proposals are not acceptable to our communities

•We don’t need to remind you that your proposal document has been labelled as gobbledegook junk by laymen and experts alike!

•We don’t need to tell you that we don’t believe the off pat answers that start “We can assure you………….” because you can’t!

•We have given you a “Local” Solution that will fit the Bidford-Alcester-Studley requirements within your pre approved budget.

•We have just 1 more thing to say……………………...

Village firefighters saved our property!

11:24am Thursday 27th August 2009John and Evelyn Cheshire were forced to move out of their home in Crompton Avenue in March this year after the fire took hold in two bedrooms and a toilet. But the quick actions of Bidford’s Firefighters stopped the flames from spreading any further or to neighbouring properties, and the couple are just about to return home after five months of renovation work. He said: “If the engine had been from Stratford, the damage would have been worse. There’s no doubt about that. “That’s why we want the station to be kept in Bidford. The firefighters are very good and without them I think we would be lost. “Everything should stay as it is and we should keep all the fire stations where they are." More than 1,600 people have now joined a Facebook group in support of Bidford's fire station.

Picture and text courtesy of Evesham Journal

To all the Attendees from Bidford, Alcester and Studley.

Thank you for listening.

To all the visiting members of the panel…..

Remember what “consultation” really means…..

……and thank you.

Developments since the

10th November 2009

Details compiled with the, knowledge, experience and vision of

dedicated serving firefighters

SUPPORTING INFORMATION/COMMENTS

LOCAL SOLUTION – BIDFORD/STRATFORD AREA

BIDFORD FIRE STATION

Community Interaction

Bidford fire station is too good an asset for the local community and WFRS to lose.

The fire station is at the heart of the community and its firefighters, young firefighters and lay instructors are involved with numerous community projects and events (as recognised by Peter Morphew) including:

Home Fire Safety campaigns over a number of yearsKey stage 1 and key stage 2 talks to all schools in the areaNursery schools talksInteraction with other youth organisations ie badgers, brownies etcInvolvement with Bidford Youth projectsChristmas lights and tree’s events

• Charity and community events throughout the year

Youth Engagement

In addition to the above Bidford host’s a very successful YFA unit. The firefighters provide role models to the youth of the area and encourage a positive contribution to society. Without its firefighters and an appliance this role model opportunity would be lost – the RDS and YFA operate as a team at Bidford.

Availability and response

Bidford firefighters had their busiest year ever in 2008. The Bidford crew have a wide range of experience – a commodity that cannot be gained quickly by a newly established or recruited crew. The crew respond quickly and provide a 5 minute response to the immediate population of Bidford. This, along with the RDS firefighter’s community safety work, has kept injuries to the public and damage to property to a minimum. Even an extra 5 mins would mean 10% more fatalities in fire, 33% more RTC fatalities and 33% more damage by fire (DNV).

Youth Engagement

In addition to the above Bidford host’s a very successful YFA unit. The firefighters provide role models to the youth of the area and encourage a positive contribution to society. Without its firefighters and an appliance this role model opportunity would be lost – the RDS and YFA operate as a team at Bidford.

Availability and response

Bidford firefighters had their busiest year ever in 2008. The Bidford crew have a wide range of experience – a commodity that cannot be gained quickly by a newly established or recruited crew. The crew respond quickly and provide a 5 minute response to the immediate population of Bidford. This, along with the RDS firefighter’s community safety work, has kept injuries to the public and damage to property to a minimum. Even an extra 5 mins would mean 10% more fatalities in fire, 33% more RTC fatalities and 33% more damage by fire (DNV).

Station profile

The statistics show the need for fire & rescue cover to be located in Bidford.

Incidents by station ground show Bidford are responding to more incidents in their area than surrounding stations – so why remove cover from the need?

The station ground incorporates 4,027 dwellings, numerous industrial area’s, a large local employer in Salford Priors (and scene of a number of incidents), the rivers Avon and Arrow, A46 trunk road, 3 homes for the disabled, 5 old peoples/nursing homes, an airfield, a COMAH LPG site, hotels and boarding houses, 4 schools, listed buildings, thatch buildings, farms etc

Strategic location. This is very subjective. The plan puts all the eggs in one basket. The ‘local solution’ leaves the 3 existing RDS stations at Bidford, Alcester and Studley – each providing a 5 minute response to its community. That’s fair, sensible and strategic fire & rescue cover that provides true resilience. Bidford is strategically located to cover its area of varied risks and support the Stratford and Alcester areas and that of greater Warwickshire. The station can also support Worcestershire providing the quickest attendance to a number of its villages.

Expanded use

Bidford fire station was built with expansion in mind. Area was left to provide for an immediate second appliance bay of good proportions. This could enable WFRS to locate a special appliance of its choice at the station, knowing that crewing is unlikely to be a problem. For an estimated £50k this bay could, for instance, accommodate the Water Carrier currently ‘jump crewed’ at Leamington. Alcester, whilst having a spare bay, has little height in its bay making it unsuitable for most special appliances – in particular the Hose Layer indicated for that station in the proposals. There is capital budget available for an expansion of Bidford. Land to the rear also has the permission of WCC for fire service use. This could be further bays and/or a training facility. These options to expand are cheaply available – a

commodity not so readily available at any other RDS station in Stratford District.

STRATFORD FIRE STATION

Our proposal is to locate the proposed wholetime crew at Stratford rather than at Alcester (if WFRS are adamant an extra wholetime crew is required in South Warwickshire).

This could also be tied to a move of fire station in Stratford.

Both of these options have a number of advantages over the current plan.

In the November 10th proposal this was listed in it’s most basic form, we have been working on the detail shown on the following pages.

A SECOND WHOLETIME PUMP AT STRATFORD - ADVANTAGES.

1. Guaranteed 2nd pump availability. The current RDS appliance is unavailable for large amounts of the time, providing between 15-25% availability. 35P2 as it stands COSTS the service money in that the appliance sits, kitted up with expensive equipment and personnel costs, unable to be used. In 4 Months it has turned out just 5 times. This has implications for the RDS crew in terms of competence and morale as they were only required to operate equipment at one of these calls. Low availability means cover moves have to be made that have financial implications, especially where RDS crews are used.

2. Currently the wholetime appliance at Stratford is confined to the Stratford town area due to the RDS non-availability. The appliance is not allowed to venture into the outer parts of its station ground without a cover move being made into Stratford town. This seriously limits CFS work in rural areas. 35P2 becoming wholetime would give greater resilience to Stratford District (South Warwickshire) allowing a crew to be deployed to support HFSC’s, schools, O17’s, 7.2d visits, safety initiatives, partnership working etc whilst still being available to respond to emergencies. Some of this work in rural areas is currently hard to achieve by Stratford’s ART.

A SECOND WHOLETIME PUMP AT STRATFORD - ADVANTAGES.

1. Guaranteed 2nd pump availability. The current RDS appliance is unavailable for large amounts of the time, providing between 15-25% availability. 35P2 as it stands COSTS the service money in that the appliance sits, kitted up with expensive equipment and personnel costs, unable to be used. In 4 Months it has turned out just 5 times. This has implications for the RDS crew in terms of competence and morale as they were only required to operate equipment at one of these calls. Low availability means cover moves have to be made that have financial implications, especially where RDS crews are used.

2. Currently the wholetime appliance at Stratford is confined to the Stratford town area due to the RDS non-availability. The appliance is not allowed to venture into the outer parts of its station ground without a cover move being made into Stratford town. This seriously limits CFS work in rural areas. 35P2 becoming wholetime would give greater resilience to Stratford District (South Warwickshire) allowing a crew to be deployed to support HFSC’s, schools, O17’s, 7.2d visits, safety initiatives, partnership working etc whilst still being available to respond to emergencies. Some of this work in rural areas is currently hard to achieve by Stratford’s ART.

3. 35P2 as a wholetime resource would provide resilience to support the proposed boat as well as the HVPU. The station would mirror Rugby and be able to respond to water incidents immediately providing its own safety crew with no reliance on ‘call back’ arrangements. A boat at Alcester would not be able to do this. This plan would provide 45 wholetime firefighters trained in boats and HVPU at Stratford against the current 34 wholetime/RDS trained in the HVPU.

4. An additional wholetime crew at Stratford (using figures from the proposed plan) would see 45 wholetime firefighters at Stratford as opposed to 50 between Alcester and Stratford in the current plan achieving a wage bill saving of some £150,000. This could buy the boat, pay for training and (along with 35 RDS savings) keep Bidford open, possibly with a special appliance such as the water carrier, with its high availability to support the area giving true resilience. The RDS units of cover at 35 would be re-allocated to enhance 31,36,37,38.

3. 35P2 as a wholetime resource would provide resilience to support the proposed boat as well as the HVPU. The station would mirror Rugby and be able to respond to water incidents immediately providing its own safety crew with no reliance on ‘call back’ arrangements. A boat at Alcester would not be able to do this. This plan would provide 45 wholetime firefighters trained in boats and HVPU at Stratford against the current 34 wholetime/RDS trained in the HVPU.

4. An additional wholetime crew at Stratford (using figures from the proposed plan) would see 45 wholetime firefighters at Stratford as opposed to 50 between Alcester and Stratford in the current plan achieving a wage bill saving of some £150,000. This could buy the boat, pay for training and (along with 35 RDS savings) keep Bidford open, possibly with a special appliance such as the water carrier, with its high availability to support the area giving true resilience. The RDS units of cover at 35 would be re-allocated to enhance 31,36,37,38.

5. 35P2 as a wholetime appliance would provide a resource able to provide immediate response to give supporting cover to all of South Warwickshire for incidents or cover moves at no additional cost. Currently every-time the wholetime appliance (35P1) moves an appliance has to cover. This is often an RDS appliance. This costs the service money. Some 46% of Alcester’s call outs are cover moves to Stratford.

6. There is potential for further cost saving options - one of having 10 wholetime firefighters covering 35P2 split into 2 watch’s working 2 blocks of 4 12 hour day shifts covering 0700-1900 with RDS covering 1900-0700. A second option is 5 wholetime firefighters working 42 hours covering weekdays only. For this the retained would need to be more available than now and the station would need to remain where it is. However, RDS recruitment is traditionally difficult in Stratford.

7 Capital expenditure designated for the Alcester upgrade could be used to improve accommodation at Stratford, make the existing bays double to allow for the boat, HVP, Double Hose box and 2 pumps. An extra bay could also be constructed at Bidford for the water carrier (or other such vehicle).

MOVE STRATFORD FIRE STATION – ADVANTAGES

In conjunction with ‘the local solution’ plan a move of Stratford Fire/Ambulance station could be considered.

1. The fire/ambulance station site, along with the former precision antenna site and Stratford football club site could make a considerable building plot for developers. Being a ‘brown field’ site objections would not be so difficult to overcome. The developer could then be required to provide a state of the art fire/ambulance station at the Bishopton roundabout site on the A46/A3400.

2. This proposed station, built to accommodate all the vehicles WFRS requires, would be built with all the modern advances in ecological, environmentally friendly power saving features, meeting Government and WCC targets. An example to other FRS.

3. This location provides a speedy response onto the A46 trunk road to access the M40 quickly via Longbridge. A far quicker response into Warwick/Leamington could be achieved to support those areas. The A3400 gives immediate access north towards Henley and the M40/42 and south down the Birmingham Road to the town centre and Clopton Bridge for attendances ‘south of the river’*

4. A purpose built community room could be provided to support local events and community groups and deliver CFS events. It could provide the CFS hub for Stratford District.

5. The new station could provide enhanced training facilities, including a carbonaceous unit and hot-house BA facility, giving a location central to a number of RDS fire stations that could access the facilities on drill nights to enhance training opportunities. The training area could encompass an interceptor facility to allow foam training and a RTC compound. WFRS could consider moving training school activities to this location, thus freeing the Bedworth site for development (helping to fund this new site along with the Stratford development).

6. The new station, nearer to Henley, could provide a kick start to the forming of a Young Firefighter unit to serve Stratford/Henley where no unit has existed to date.

7. There are excellent travel facilities to the proposed location with the park & ride site and buses, A roads, nearby cycle way, bus route from Stratford to Henley and proposed Stratford Parkway railway station.

Attendances to Welford-on-Avon and Long Marston from Stratford would be increased. However, prior to Stratford becoming wholetime these villages were in Bidford’s turnout area and Bidford currently provide the second pump attendance to these villages. Stratford and Bidford attendance times are equal to this area at present so a return to Bidford’s area of these villages would ensure the current level of first response, with the new Stratford station providing second and third pumps.

Information for CFO Graeme Smith:-Over 90 % of people questioned,reject the closures.Common sense shows, statements made by WFRS during the consultation meetings are misleading and unproven. The rural communities are not prepared to sacrifice their station to improve arson response in urban areas.

We can’t all be wrong !!!!!!

Stratford District Council have opposed the proposed station closures

John Maples, Conservative MP, has opposed the station closures

It seems ironic that the stations designated for closure, have very high availability, and indeed prop up the availability statistics.*

Information for the councillors:-Over 90% of people questioned,reject the closures.Common sense shows, that statements made by WFRS during the consultation meetings are misleading and unproven. The proposals are as a result of a poorly devised strategy and modelled on purely urban principles, and will not work in a partly rural service.

We can’t all be wrong !!!!!!

Stratford District Council have opposed the proposed station closures, and suggested the adoption of The Local Solution principles.

John Maples, Conservative MP, has opposed the proposed station closures.

that's why we're here

Documents

local solutiontry

local solutionremember

cost of local solution

total cost

spentthe local solutionso

bidford studley stations

studley neighbours

rds firefighters