Call for fire station to operate full time

Marlow's fire station should be upgraded to a full-time operation, a councillor has said.

Conservative Alex Collingwood, who represents Marlow on Buckinghamshire Council, has asked the fire authority and chief fire officer to consider the change.

The town's station is currently staffed by on-call firefighters who tend to have other jobs as well.

But a spokesperson for Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said its current assessment was that the station would stay as an on-call one.

The station on Parkway has been described as one of the "best assets" in the county, having been purpose built relatively recently for a full-time crew.

Collingwood explained that the station currently operated as an on-call facility, meaning firefighters respond to emergencies on a part-time basis.

On-call firefighters typically carry a pager and respond from home or their workplace when called out, often balancing the role alongside full-time jobs.

The change would have no cost implications for residents and instead would be a change in operating model, Collingwood said.

"Because of where we are located, we do Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, we are really quite key in relation to the whole of the fire service.

"Particularly with Wycombe station going to be out of action for at least a year if not two years."

A spokesperson for Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said its current assessment was that Marlow would remain part of its on-call provision.

"Our Community Risk Management Plan uses evidence, data and engagement with our communities to ensure we have the right people, at the right time, with the right skills to keep people safe," they said.

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