The new Sandyford Fire Station offers a bright and modern outlook to fire safety. The community room is also an excellent facility for the local community to use with it being free of charge and it having ample space for small groups. Upon visiting the stations gym Tom Simpson & Les Dutton from S.A.G.E. said that it was smaller than first thought and its use to the community would possibly be limited to e.g. residents who have been referred by their G.P.
In regards to the Gym, when the idea was first banded about back in 2006/7 the gym was made out in a different light.
During the open day, we were told that members of the public would have to a) have a referral letter from their GP, and also supervised.
No plans have yet been put in place to sort out how this was going to work, but Joan Walley seemed keen to push this forward and was going to get put the Fire Service in touch with the PCT.
One of the things that came to light on the tour was there wasn’t yet a clear way other than working with schools how the fire station/service people will be working with communities. This could possibly be because everything is new and needs snagging, and everything needs to be in order before the community side of things kick in.
For those of you that didn’t get chance to visit the station during the open week, I uploaded my photos (Featuring Tom and Les)
Fire Station Open Day Gallery