Published: Tuesday, 1st November, 2005 10:40
10,000 reasons to save fire station
By Border Telegraph Newsroom
Print Article
TEN thousand people have said: “Keep Melrose Fire Station open.”
That emphatic message has been relayed to Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service after a four-month campaign to save the facility and its 10-man retained crew.
Signatures on a petition, letters and Border Telegraph protest coupons were delivered by firefighters yesterday (Monday) to the City of Edinburgh Council offices at the conclusion of the public consultation period.
Concerned Melrosians and campaign supporters gathered at the fire station in the morning to show their support, with members of Melrose & District Pipes and Drums giving the petition a rousing send-off.
A short time earlier, the crew had responded to an emergency call in Newtown St Boswells (which proved to be false).
Jeremy Purvis MSP and Michael Moore MP were on hand to congratulate the firefighters for their campaigning initiative.
Mr Purvis said: “Your campaigning and ability to get the community involved is to be applauded and very well done to those who put their names to the petition.
“This is a huge show of support.
“But this campaign is not just about ensuring the fire station is saved.
“It’s about the need to ensure the level of fire cover is adequate for Borders General Hospital, the council offices at Newtown and many other places.
“Today is not the end of campaign — it will continue.
“If there’s any justice, it will be a very successful campaign.”
Provost William Windram, the chairman of Melrose and District Community Council, added his support.
He said: “The community remains unconvinced by the chief fire officer’s recommendation to close the fire station, which wouldn’t be a benefit to anybody.
“The community is 100 per cent behind the firefighters and the campaign has had a huge response, not just from Melrose, but also from other towns in the Borders.
“If the fire station was to close, the level of exposure to risk would be incalculable.”
Mr Windram pointed out that Melrose Fire Station cost around £150,000 per annum to operate.
He said: “That’s a miniscule amount — something like a quarter of one per cent of the service’s budget.”
Gordon Blain, the station’s sub-officer, thanked the people of the Borders for backing the campaign.
He said: “Melrose Fire Station is definitely an integral part of the fire cover for the Borders.
“The community is totally unanimous on this issue.
“Democracy is dead if a campaign like this is ignored.”
The future of Melrose Fire Station will be decided early next year.
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