Firefighters at Hamworthy fire station are facing uncertainty after proposals were unveiled to close eight stations across Dorset and Wiltshire.
The Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has informed crews that Hamworthy, along with Ramsbury, Bradford on Avon, Wilton, Mere, Cranborne, Maiden Newton and Charmouth, could shut as part of a package of cuts affecting the service.
The Fire Brigades Union says closing stations would leave communities with reduced cover for fires, flooding and other emergencies, warning that fewer crews and appliances would lead to slower response times when incidents occur.
A meeting of the fire authority is scheduled for 10th February, where members will decide whether the proposals should move forward to a thirteen week public consultation.
The union says it is placing members on an industrial footing to oppose cuts nationally, pointing to disputes in Oxfordshire and recent campaigns in Avon and Leicestershire, while local representative Barney Hedgecock said the service was already overstretched and further reductions would put lives at risk.
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