The closure of Hampshire Fire and Rescue's 999 control room has come a step nearer, with the setting-up of a regional management board for fire brigades throughout the South-East.
The board is tasked with finding a site for a new super-control room to process emergency calls from nine counties. The Government wants it to replace individual control rooms, including Hampshire's, at Eastleigh. About 500 staff nationwide will go if the change is implemented, claims the Fire Brigades Union
Sharon Eames, who represents FBU control room staff at Eastleigh, said the proposal amounted to cost-cutting. "It will be a downgrading of service. It will take longer to mobilise appliances, due to lack of local knowledge."
She added that differing mobilising practices would slow staff further.
The regional board has to recommend a site that can be made reasonably impregnable to terrorists. The Government will pay for construction of the regional control rooms and will rent them to the regional boards.
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