FIRE SERVICE BECOMING MORE RELIANT ON HAMPSHIRE FIREFIGHTERS NEW FIGURES REVEAL

A lack of available fire crews and several large-scale incidents saw mainland firefighters respond to 15 emergencies on the Isle of Wight last year – twice as many as in 2022. A Freedom of Information request by the Local Democracy Reporting Service has revealed that the Isle of Wight is becoming increasingly reliant on Hampshire-based firefighters. In the past 5 years, some 41 incidents on the Island have been attended by mainland crews, with 33 mainland appliances deployed to 15 incidents in 2023 alone. In both 2022 and 2021, mainland-based firefighters attended just 7 incidents each year – indicating a significant change over the past 12 months. Although there have been a handful of large blazes that have required additional resources to be sent across the Solent, Island Echo understands that a lack of available appliances locally has led to mainland crews being scrambled to provide fire cover here. They are sometimes sent to take part in training exercises too. It is claimed that, on occasions, the Isle of Wight can have as little as 3 fire engines ready to respond to an emergency. When the number of pumps ‘on the run’ drops below safe levels, mainland appliances – often from Southampton and Portsmouth – are mobilised. They are then sent to whatever emergencies may develop, which in 2023 included vehicle fires, false alarms, mud rescues and assisting bariatric patients. Notable incidents last year include a barn fire at Bowcombe, which saw 9 mainland stations mobilised alongside the Island’s own stations. Tragically, an explosion occurred at a property in the East Wight at the same time. Appliances had to be re-mobilised from Bowcombe to Brading, with a further 5 mainland stations involved in the protracted incident.

As the number of incidents has increased, so has the cost of transporting the crews, engines and equipment over to the Island. In 2021/22, HIWFRS spent just £1,657 on travel costs, which more than doubled the following year (22/23) to £5,103. The travel costs have doubled again in the current financial year, from April 2023 to January 2024, with HIWFRS having so far forked out £11,080 to bring crews to the Island. The news comes just weeks after it was announced Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) is to launch a review into how the service operates here on the Island, with a view to tackling known resilience challenges. It has already been revealed that Ryde Fire Station will soon become wholetime, which will help mitigate the issues around retained availability. This is a particular problem in Bembridge, where a fire engine hasn’t been on the run in several years – something brought to the forefront when a fatal flat fire occurred next door. In the West Wight, Yarmouth’s fire engine has been swapped with Freshwater’s water carrier on a trial basis in a bid to improve resilience in the West. New fire appliances are on the way for Ryde and Newport too – the start of a fleet replacement that will see Scanias and Mercedes Ategos replaced to bring the Island in line with the mainland. Responding to the figures, HIWFRS has said it regularly moves appliances strategically to ensure suitable cover is provided across all areas. A spokesperson also said they use the professional judgement of officers and control teams to match resources to the identified risk, within procedural guidance. The service works to standard response plans, influenced by National Operation Guidance, which pre-determines the resources sent to most incidents, regardless of geographical location. HIWFRS says that as a unified service – following the merger of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight – is better positioned to share resources across the Solent, ensuring greater resilience. Additional reporting by Island Echo