Firefighting to become last resort

At a fire authority meeting, members heard that "history is in the making" with the introduction of a new approach to tackling fire risk.

It concentrates on prevention and protection, with intervention - sending fire engines out to fight the flames - as a last resort.

It could do away with automatic responses to fire alarms in favour of only attending if there definitely was a fire.

Some fire stations could close, taxes may be boosted and there were warnings that further large-scale walk-outs could be on the cards.

It could also rack up massive costs for the fire service - which is to receive no extra government funding for the changes.

But Fire Authority members and service bosses were fully behind the scheme.

Chief fire officer Malcolm Eastwood said: "This is something we should welcome with open arms to reduce incidents across the board."

Fire authority member Liz Barron added: "This is the best opportunity the fire service has had in a long time to get it right."

The main aim is to cut down on the number of fires and road crashes in the county.

Bosses will draw up a "risk map" of Hampshire to identify the fire hot spots and will boost prevention campaigns in those areas.

It could mean visiting schools, checking smoke detectors, improving links with local authorities and the police or highlighting the benefits of sprinkler systems for businesses.

Fire service IT systems would require an overhaul and all staff would need to be trained to think of fire prevention as the most crucial part of their jobs.

On the "intervention" side, crews would have to reach 80 per cent of call-outs in eight minutes. Currently, they hit 78 per cent in the target time.

But the scheme could run up huge expenses.

Just to get the programme up and running could cost £130,000.

A £50,000 marketing push is expected to roll out in November and consultation on the plan alone will cost £25,000.