Closure of Blaina Fire Station - By Amy

The World is Watching what happens to Blaina Fire Station

The public have not been addressed officially with any information or reassurance by any member of the Fire and Rescue Service.

This is not a fight for jobs it's a fight for our lives.

What if the Fire Services computer predictions are wrong and Blaina suffer more deaths due to the lack of available resources or the 1st in attendance was not quick enough?

Is the Fire Service willing to take the results from a computer over Local Service Personnel warning this will put lives in danger?

Are our lives worth the risk?

The proposal to close Blaina Fire Station will slow response times and increase the risk of death, injury and loss of property among the community.

Blaina is one of the few South Wales Retained Fire Stations to provide 100% availability,  4 hours in the last 9 months they were unavailable due to the recent union strike, however, it has been stated that if life was in danger the crew would attend. Blaina currently cover 2 neighbouring Stations as a direct result of serious staffing issues.

We can only estimate/guess what the outcome would be, just like the Fire Service has done with their argument that there will be a 0% death rate rise in the next 5 years as a result of Blaina Fire Station being shut down.

There is no guarantee that the closest stations to Blaina at the moment  would be the first in attendance (at your front door) as they could already be attending an emergency elsewhere. The next available station will be drafted into cover the lack of available Fire Service Resources with the timings ranging from 10 minutes to 20 minutes (estimated)

A neighbouring Full Time Station is required for training days, which is approximately 8 days a month, this leaves the immediate surrounding area with 2 fire engines given staffing issues are resolved, if this is not the case it will leave 1, in this predicted scenario the Fire Service are required by law to draft in 3 additional Fire Engines, 2 to join the remaining Station at your home if there is a person reported (trapped, life in danger) this could be a loved one, and 1 to be placed on standby 10 to 20 minutes away as Blaina will cease to exist.

Where is this fire cover coming from? Another County?

It could take a fully manned Station 22 minutes (estimated) to arrive in Attlee Road Coed'Cae if staffing issues are not resolved.

What impact will it have on that area (and who is covering them) and what station will cover supporting stations?

Using the following link see how long it will take to get your house:
http://www.southwalesfire.gov.uk:83/officeforms/AttendanceTimes.ofml

Postcode used: NP133AZ

Blaina Predicted Attendance within their area (Crew of 5) maximum of 5 Minutes average turn out time 3:30.

The removal of Blaina Fire Station would result in a neighbouring station being the 1st appliance at NP133AZ.

Neighbouring Station Attendance Predicted (Crew of 5 due to current staffing issues this could be 4) a minimum of 10 minutes.

If the 2 nearest stations are not available.

The next available Station Attendance Predicted (Crew of 5) a minimum of 20 minutes

It takes approximately 3 minutes for your living room to become engulfed in flames and they are stating "lives will not be lost as a result of Blaina closing".

Not only neighbouring stations will be effected but other Counties too.

The fire at Blaina in 1996 resulting in firefighter fatalities raised the issue of compartmental fires to the forefront in the UK.

As a direct result, revised guidance was issued to brigades in Fire Service Manual Volume 2 [Ref. 1] with specific reference to backdraft and flashover. Also, firefighter training has been extended in recent years to cover rapid fire development, backdraught and flashover and the use of real fire simulators.

After the tragedy on Zephaniah Way, the Fire Service pledged to do everything they could to ensure that the memories of those two fallen brothers were not forgotten. Blaina Fire Station has been vital to the history and development of the UK and we must make sure it stays open.

A car wash is being held at Blaina Fire Station on 12 October to assist Local Residents to complete a vital online survey for them to raise their concerns.   Many residents are unable to do so as there is just 40% of the local population with internet access.