New Rayleigh Weir Fire Station - Open
Essex's newest fire station has opened at Rayleigh.
The £4.5million station funded through a public private partnership with Essex Auto Group, was officially opened on Tuesday 1st December 2009 by Essex Councillor Elizabeth Hart and High Sheriff Rupert Gosling.
Station Commander Doug Sylvester said: "This is the first of a new type of fire station - the community fire station - and we want to make sure that we involve the community as much as possible.
"This will give the families we serve a chance to see for themselves the excellent facilities in this state-of-the-art fire station, meet our firefighters and find out how we are opening our facilities up to the entire community.
Construction of the new fire station was only made possible through a co-funded project with Essex Auto Group. The partnership delivered excellent value for money from a fire service perspective, as Essex Auto Group. provided the land free-of-charge and, additionally, contributed a significant 'cash' figure to support construction costs.
The station will not only provide a base for fire crews but will also house Basildon and Castle Point Community Command staff.
Crews have been operating from the station since October 23 but the event marked the official opening.
Station Commander Doug Sylvester said: "It is a real red letter day for myself and the crews. We are now very much settled in to the new station and the facilities here are excellent.
"The station has been on the run for a few weeks and now it has received a proper opening which will be a day to remember."
A display of new and innovative vehicles and equipment were on hand for the 200-plus guests attending the event, themed Investment in Frontline Services. This included a new foam module, new command support vehicles for use at large incidents, Urban Search and Rescue crews and their high-tech equipment and a new welfare unit which crews can call to protracted incidents.
The fire station provides expanded facilities for ECFRS' highly successful youth intervention schemes, like FireBreak, intended to promote positive behaviour in children and young people who have, for example, had difficulties at school, or have been involved in petty crime and anti-social behaviour.
