Opinions on New Station in Ramsgate?

[277DizzyFred]

The new station will be a base for whole time firefighters who will provide an emergency response round-the-clock.  In addition, it will house an on-call fire engine with firefighters who will be called in as needed to attend an incident. There will also be training on the site for firefighters.

The new site is close to better road networks so we can reach fires and other incidents as quickly as possible. It also has the advantage that it is close enough to the current station so we do not lose our experienced on-call firefighters who must be able to get to the station from home within five minutes to respond to fires and other emergencies.

 

[OscarTango]

I'm not sure. You have lifted that from the website. Are you my Alexa? She is playing up again.....

[Matt]

Welcome to the site @277DizzyFred.  

Having visited the current site about 2 weeks ago its clearly designed for horse and carts.  The current pump lives outside in the yard and has a very tight street to turnout onto as witnessed when I was there.  They can only fit the retained pump in station and there doesn't appear to be that much room in the station.

The new station on passing looks much more fit for purpose with space.  Attached is a map between the two stations.  When you look on the bigger map its more central to the town without having to fight through the traffic.  I'm all for old stations but there is a need to move on and upgrade.

[Br9mp81]

Big building with 5 bays, a drill yard, tower, and hot house that will be looking for new use, up the road at Manston soon.

[Jet]

Hate to see old stations with character closed but in some cases it really is necessary. What annoys me though is when the new stations are even less fit for purpose ? so hope this isn’t the case with this one.

And imagine what a new fire station with character would look like?

[Luminoki]

Not possible, having visited some brand spanking new stations there is little in the way of character ( unless you count the watches ) but as you said Jamie, its really nescessary sometimes, the plumbing was thay knackered at the old Worcester that if you flushed a toilet it would reverbarate around the entire station. Did a shift not long ago at the new Worcester, its certainly fit for purpose if the watch strength was in double figures in terms of space and facilities, but felt odd rattling around the station at 10pm at night when theres only 4 on duty ( the DCP live in a purpose built bungalow next door )

[StephenKP]

Speaking as a building designer (Architectural Technologist) they cannot afford to make them like they used to.  Probem was in the early days things were cheap, plenty of highly skilled trades people which kept costs down, no health and safety, no community spaces, no inclusive requirement and no environmental credentials.  The old victorian and edwardian buildings were classed as important municiple buildings and municipalities made them grand  with the brick details, stonework and chimneys but they were small inside as they did not have the large vehicles they have today. If you think about it compared to the 60's the current fire service machines are alot bigger, casing point is Nottinghamshires SRU. It was due to be based at Newark fire station but the bbays were to low for it so they built an extention to teh retained station tuxford to hold it for a while but it wasn't in an ideal location there.  Recently one of the teams in the company i work for designed and got buit the new fire station that is now open. I was consulted due to my fire service knowledge as an interest and also for the inclusion aspect as I specilise in Disability and inclusion as one of my interests. The build cost for a 3 bay 2 storey station was Around £2.5m, with community room, gym, no beds just the easy chairs, lift, no pole due to H&S but the old pole and bell and other memrobelia is on show in the new station, solar panels and intelligent lighting (basicaly computer controled with prescence detection) . The station has the technical rescue team and 1 wholetime and 1 retained fire engines. The old station next door is demolished with the site to be sold off, most likely a housing developer will buy it, brexit dependant.

[Messyshaw]

£2.5m seems a pretty good price as my former Victorian fire station in London (2 x bay with beautiful brickwork and viewing tower) was sadly replaced in 1984 by a featureless warehouse for £1m.

You should put your prices up Stephen!!