WELLINGTON will continue to have two fire appliances available to fight blazes in the day, if Devon and Somerset Fire Authority accepts a proposal at a meeting this Friday, writes Barry Knott.

Originally, the authority had recommended the day-time closure of one fire crew at Wellington. But having gone out to public consultation, the authority has taken notice of the views of the public.

Dave Lock, a Taunton firefighter for 25 years and local representative of the Fire Brigades Union, argued last summer: “Wellington is crewed by retained firemen and the proposal is that the second pump will only be available during night-time hours.”

It was also pointed out that Wellington firefighters deal with a number of incidents outside the area and this may not have been taken into account.

Wellington county councillor Andrew Govier has been a keen supporter of the local firefighters’ campaign to oppose proposed cuts to the Devon and Somerset Fire Authority and Rescue Service.

He said yesterday: “I welcome the proposal for Wellington to continue to have two crews available during the day to fight fires. Reading between the lines I think the proposal for the Wellington Fire Station will be accepted. I think the authority realised that public opinion was against the idea.

“We must not forget that it is proposed that Taunton and Bridgwater will lose one of their three engines. This would mean that Wellington would have more work if they have to cover.”

Currently the Wellington station is able to mobilise two fire engines to any emergency call and this helps to ensure that the local community and the wider district receive a good service.

It also provides a regional and national capability with specialist training and equipment at its disposal.

But the Fire Authority proposal last year would have seen the second engine at Wellington not being mobilised during daytime hours and its use restricted to evenings and overnight.

The authority appeared to have acknowledged that, with Wellington’s present role supporting other towns and its proximity to the M5, the town needed a second engine to be available all day.

The Fire Service has said it wants to bring an outdated service into the 21st Century and call-out incidents in both areas had decreased 36 per cent between 2008 and 2018.

Fire chiefs have said that £12.4 million had been saved over the last five years but an estimated £8.4 million of savings were still needed in the next three.