Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service launches emergency cover review and would like to hear your views

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service would like to hear the public’s views on the proposals for emergency cover over the next three years.

The Service has undertaken an emergency cover review (ECR) to ensure that its emergency response remains effective and efficient, and that the Service is well equipped to respond to future challenges.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Steve Healey, said: “Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s purpose is to make Lancashire safer and we strive to deliver the highest standards of operational response to a wide range of risks and emergencies.

“Periodically we review the locations, numbers and types of fire stations and fire appliances against community risks and incident levels across the county, and propose ways to improve how we respond to emergencies.

“In this review we aim to strengthen the Service’s response to climate change emergencies by introducing fire appliances that can travel off-road in areas prone to flooding and wildfires. We are also focused on enhancing our capabilities in relation to high rise and commercial building fires, with no reduction in the overall number of fire stations or appliances in the county.

“The proposals reflect an investment in frontline services and an increase in the number of firefighters that will ensure we continue to build a highly skilled, resilient and agile fire and rescue service, fit for the future.”

The Service has considered risk and incident data, met with staff and trade unions, looked at new and emerging risks and explored new technologies to arrive at a set of proposals it believes provide the most effective and efficient emergency cover possible in the coming years.

Steve Healey added: “We want to know what people think and welcome the views of residents, businesses and communities in Lancashire through our consultation. All the feedback will be reviewed before we produce a final set of proposals which will be considered by the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority in December.”

Find out more and take part in the consultation at www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/emergencycover.

The consultation closes on 14 October 2022.