CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new "super" fire control centre to answer emergency calls from across Yorkshire and Humberside have been criticised by York firefighters.
The £110 million base, at Paragon Business Park, Wakefield, will be one of nine built to replace the present 46 local fire service control rooms across the country.
The new Yorkshire and Humberside control will use the latest technology to allow the fire service to pinpoint the location of every caller, whether they are on a landline or mobile phone.
The Government said the use of new technology and improved co-ordination would ensure crews could respond to emergencies of a similar size to the London bombings.
But the shake-up was criticised by Lee Smith, York Fire Brigades Union representative. He said: "The union and the whole staff are extremely concerned. From the firefighters' and con ops' (control room operatives) point of view, the service will not be the same at all.
"Firefighters have built up and excellent relationship with con ops and their local knowledge is invaluable. This 'super' control room will cover North, South and West Yorkshire and Humberside. You can't expect someone to have an entire four counties' worth of local knowledge. If an emergency room fails the consequences don't bear thinking about."
Twenty control room operatives are employed at the North Yorkshire control room in Northallerton. A spokesman for the county fire service said job losses were likely.
North Yorkshire County councillor Jonathan Morley, vice-chairman of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, said the Government had not made a convincing argument for change.
"York and North Yorkshire could be particularly hard hit by loss of local knowledge, built up over the years. This knowledge can save lives," said Coun Morley.
The Fire Service Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, said: "The control centres will use the latest proven technology, which will not only enable fire fighters to respond more quickly to incidents but improve their safety by providing accurate information before they reach the scene."
Work on the new site will begin in 2006 or 2007. All nine centres should be fully operational by 2009.
Updated: 11:02 Friday, August 12, 2005
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