I live just under three miles away from Woolwich fire station. It’s one of the 10 stations earmarked for closure by Boris Johnson along with axing 580 frontline fire service jobs.
If Woolwich closes, the average response time for a fire tender to reach my house in Shooters Hill will increase by 25 seconds from 6.35 mins to 7 minutes. The minimum response time target across London is supposed to be 6 mins. So my wife and daughter are going to be at greater risk.
And if you look in Woolwich itself, the response time increases under Boris’ plans are staggering.
For the 19,000 residents in Woolwich Riverside, the estimate of the first fire engine to arrive on scene will increase from 4.57 mins to 7.21! That’s 2.24 slower.
Woolwich Common, with 17,500 residents, will see the response time increase by 58 seconds, from 5.32 to 6.30 mins.
So this video from the Fire Brigade Union and Ross Kemp, highlighting how quickly fire spread,s frightens the hell out of me as it should the four million other Londoners who will experience longer response times after the stations are axed.
A compromise deal by Boris to put an extra tender in East Greenwich to sweeten the blow is frankly not good enough.
That’s why I’m glad Greenwich Council has joined the judicial review with seven other authorities against the decision.
Time and again Boris has lied about his plans.
“Since I have been Mayor there’s been a colossal reduction in deaths by fire.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor’s Question Time, 17 July 2013
But as Ross Kemp points out in the film: “This isn’t true. Since Boris Johnson was elected the trend rate of fire deaths in London has been going up – not down.”
“More boroughs will be brought within the minimum response times both for the first and the second appliance.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor’s Question Time, 17 July 2013
But not one borough is being brought within the target of six minutes for the first fire engine to arrive.
And…
“Under this Mayor there will be absolutely no reduction in fire cover and we will continue to make London a safer city.”
Boris Johnson, Mayor’s Budget Speech, 25 January 2012
Councillor John Fahy has played a huge part in campaigning against the closure.
But we’ve all got to get behind him and the FBU to make sure we keep Woolwich Fire Station open.
So please sign the 38 Degrees petition.
Boris might want to save £29m but it’s reckless in the extreme to achieve this by putting the lives of four million Londoners at risk.
David Prescott 