LFB 2 Pump Stations

[Bgjm21]

Not to try and take it off topic... But How many two pump stations are there left in London? Cheers!

[Carl]

And in a bid to keep it on topic, I have split it

[Dot]

The answer is 30... 

[Steve]

Christ.... I hadnt realised how far we'd dropped.... When I joined in 1987 I'm pretty sure it was 89 of the then 114 stations that were two pump. Thats almost a third of the pumps have gone in 30 years. No wonder we are so busy. Thats 203 pumping appliances down to 133 if my figures for '87 are correct.

[Messyshaw]

That is a shocking figure! To my shame, I do not even remember how many stations the LFB are down to now

When you think that I understand the 1st relief for the Grenfell job was 20 pumps, with the 40 at the job (and tied up at Paddington on the way home) - that's almost half of LFB's pump fleet at one job!

[Steve]

Yes, plus all of the FRU fleet.

[Bgjm21]

That's pretty appalling state of affairs. To put that in perspective the old Strathclyde region has 39 stations there or there abouts, with 21 of those being two pump stations.. The entire greater London area having only 9 more two pump stations is pretty shocking

[Aspire]

You say that, but can flex an additional 64 stations...

[Bgjm21]

True, wasn't attempting to criticise the LFB by saying that, just expressing shock that the cut backs have gone that far. No disrespect intended.

[Tiggs]

I thought I read it was 142 Pumps as Boris criminally removed 13 Pumps after the first wave of cuts/closures stating they're not needed anymore as they'd been taken out of service for nearly two years. 

Incidentally how does it work with standby fire cover? Is their a set list of stations that would receive a standby pump and certain stations going without or is it done in terms of modelling on the computer mobilising system Obviously going down from 200 odd Pumps in the late eighties would obviously make this more of a challenge? 

Is fire cover as adequate as Danny Cotton believes? 

[Messyshaw]

8 hours ago, Aspire said:

You say that, but can flex an additional 64 stations...

Er.... whats that mean?

[Aspire]

7 hours ago, BM96 said:

True, wasn't attempting to criticise the LFB by saying that, just expressing shock that the cut backs have gone that far. No disrespect intended.

Didnt take it so, just adding additional context.

1 hour ago, Messyshaw said:

Er.... whats that mean?

It means that even though Strathclyde have 21 out 39 stns designated as 2 pumps, London has an additional 64 stations (when compared to Strathclyde) with a fire appliance in it to provide fire cover. As above, adding more context to comparison.

[Jet]

I've always said it, and even had politicians say it in front of me...fire stations don't put fires out, pumps and firefighters do. But the amount of fire stations is more important to politicians as they are more assuring to the public, nevermind what or who is actually crewing them, most MoPs don't see the inside of a station after all they just find comfort in the fact that there's one down the road.

The days of a two pump station are numbered and certainly in my career, if I last that long, they will become extinct. 

[Dyson]

i see what you say there Jamie, and i think that the 1 pump station tend has been in vogue (clearly in LFB).

However, i think the future is different, more multi appliance stations, containing the ambulance service and in some case the police. Just less of those stations.

And ya know what - it makes sense.

[Jet]

I agree Dyson. I think the number of pumps (and riders) are what makes a brigade strong. Would happily see stations cut in half if the remaining stations were bolstered with extra appliances and manpower to make up more resources than there was before. What effect that would have on attendance times would be cruicial but in principle I think that wouldn't be such a bad idea. Obviously would never happen because it would cost more and there would be negative political point scoring. 

[Dyson]

Yes mate that's right. When I was in LFB back in the day ( pull up a sand bag) the CFO was a guy called Robinson. He said then back in the 90's that all our stations were in the wrong places tho save the modern city.  He was kind of right. 

He also said that every time we got turned out to a fire, we had failed ?

Struck me as the kinda guy who didn't spend much time on the trucks .....