The number of firefighters stationed in Harrogate will be cut by four in April.
The move, which will save £210,000, is part of plans to reduce the number of nighttime fire engines based in the town from two to one.
The Stray Ferret broke the news in 2022 that Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner planned to shed frontline firefighting jobs as part of her Risk and Resource Model, which sets out how fire resources will be deployed.
The proposals were later adopted despite widespread safety concerns but they have yet to be implemented.
A report that will be debated by councillors on Thursday (January 11) about setting the police and fire service precepts for the next financial year gives a brief update.
It says Harrogate will have four fewer firefighters from April this year. Scarborough is due to lose four firefighters next year, saving another £215,000. Another seven firefighters, described as ‘operational staffing reserve’, will also go in April next year, saving £375,000.
The report, which comes after Ms Metcalfe hinted council taxpayers may have to pay more for police and fire services this year, warns “finances continue to be exceptional tight”.
The Stray Ferret asked Ms Metcalfe’s office how many firefighters will remain at Harrogate after the changes take effect and whether those affected had been offered alternative roles.
A spokesperson said:
“The proposals in the precept report are in line with the consultation and decisions made in relation to the Risk and Resource Model in September 2022.
“The report to which your questions refer will be discussed at the police, fire and crime panel meeting on Thursday, January 11 and it would not be appropriate for us to provide any further information at this time.”
The North Yorkshire Police Fire and Crime Panel, which is a joint committee of North Yorkshire Council and City of York Council, scrutinises the performance of the commissioner.
How will it work?
Harrogate Fire Station
Currently, Harrogate Fire Station on Skipton Road has one fire engine which can respond to all callouts and one smaller tactical response vehicle. Both operate around the clock.
The tactical response vehicle will be replaced by a larger fire engine but it will only be crewed during the day.
Ms Metcalfe’s Risk and Resource Model said more fires occur during daytime, and having two fire engines at Harrogate would provide better daytime protection at key times.
But the second Harrogate appliance won’t be staffed between 10pm and 9am, meaning greater dependence on on-call firefighters in Knaresborough when a second fire engine is required at major incidents.
Read more:
- Crime commissioner Zoë Metcalfe hints at council tax increase
- Confirmed: Harrogate to have just one night time fire engine
Firefighters rescue child locked in vehicle in Starbeck
A Harrogate fire crew rescued a child after it became accidentally locked inside a vehicle today.
The incident took place on Starbeck High Street just before 4pm today, according to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report.
The incident log added:
“The crew used small tools and the child was recovered without injury.”
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No further details were revealed.
It follows a similar incident last week in which a baby was rescued from a locked vehicle outside M&S in Ripon.
Fire station open day set to draw crowds in HarrogateHarrogate Fire Station will welcome members of the public to its popular annual open day next weekend.
The Skipton Road site will open its doors on Sunday, September 3 from 10am until 3pm.
Visitors will be able to see a variety of fire engines, including some demonstrations and interaction, and speak to members of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Children will have the chance to pretend to be a firefighter, as well as learning basic first aid from St John Ambulance.
North Yorkshire Police, Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue and the Red Cross will also be represented, along with some police vehicles on site too.
The open day is free, though there is a charge for some of the activities.
A bouncy castle, refreshments and a raffle will all be held, and donations can also be made to the Fire Fighters Charity.
Visitors get to know the emergency services at last year’s open day
Read more:
- Harrogate Fire Station installs swift nest boxes on drill tower
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Reduction in Harrogate fire engines to begin next year
The reduction in the number of fire engines based in Harrogate overnight is expected to take effect next year.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe announced the move last year as part of her three-year fire service blueprint on how resources would be deployed in the county.
The reduction, which is part of a shift towards fire prevention, prompted widespread concerns about safety, particularly life-threatening delays at Starbeck level crossing if a second fire engine were required in an emergency.
Conservative Ms Metcalfe also agreed to reduce the number of overnight fire engines at Scarborough and to have on-call rather than full-time firefighters at Huntington, near York.
Harrogate fire station
Her draft fire and rescue annual report for 2022/23, which was discussed by a panel today, says North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is consulting with trade unions around the implementation of the changes to Huntington station.
The report adds this is expected to be finalised by the end of the year then ‘Harrogate will form the second phase of implementation’.
Harrogate firefighters affected will be redeployed to other stations or roles, including fire prevention roles.
Read more:
- Confirmed: Harrogate to have just one night time fire engine
- Commissioner rules out Harrogate fire engine rethink despite faulty data
Harrogate and Scarborough will have two larger emergency rescue fire engines during daytime, when most fires occur. They currently have one of these and one smaller tactical response appliance. Her report says:
“This will increase the capacity and capability to respond to an emergency when demand is at its greatest, improve resilience across the service area and increase the opportunity to undertake prevention and protection activities during these hours.
“This change will take place at Harrogate first and, on completion of a full review of the implementation of the change, be extended to Scarborough.”
An ambulance waiting at Starbeck level crossing — there are fears this will happen more frequently to fire engines under the changes.
Councillor Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone on North Yorkshire Council, said the changes were putting people “at risk”.
She added:
Harrogate Fire Station installs swift nest boxes on drill tower“I totally support the emphasis on prevention but we still need to make sure that if accidents and incidents happen we have the right response with the appropriate number of fire engines and firemen.
“The government should set a standard service per head of population. Our Residents should get the service they pay for not a reduced service.”
Harrogate firefighters have put eight swift nesting boxes on their drill tower to help save the endangered species.
The swift population has fallen dramatically in recent years due to declining numbers of insects, climate change and the loss of old buildings used for nesting.
The Knaresborough Swift Group estimated last month only a dozen remained in the town and appealed for help finding new nesting sites to save the birds from disappearing.
Its plea, reported in the Stray Ferret, sparked numerous offers of help from Knaresborough as well as nearby towns and villages.
Harrogate firefighter Alex van Zeller, who is passionate about protecting swifts, was among those who responded.
His intervention led to eight boxes supplied by the swift group going up at the drill tower at Harrogate Fire Station on Skipton Road. The station’s aerial ladder platform was deployed to put up the boxes.
The drill tower’s height and space surrounding it makes it a perfect nesting site for swifts.
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Dropped cigarette causes late night shed fire in Harrogate
Firefighters from Harrogate dealt with a shed fire that spread to a garden fence last night.
The incident happened shortly before 11pm on Skipton Road,
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log said two appliances from Harrogate and one from Knaresborough were summoned.
The fire spread to a conservatory, approximately 15 metres of garden fencing and 20 metres of plastic guttering . The log said:
“Crews used two breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, two thermal imaging cameras and lighting to extinguish the fire.
“The cause of the fire was accidental, due to a dropped cigarette.”
A ventilation fan was used to clear light smoke damage in neighbouring properties.
Shortly afterwards, at three minutes past midnight, Harrogate firefighters were mobilised again to a Ford Mondeo engine fire on Grove Park Avenue.
Crews used breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire. The incident log said:
“The cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical fault. Advice was given to the vehicle owner.”
Read more:
Firefighters called to Harrogate hospital to remove girl’s ring
Firefighters were called to Harrogate District Hospital last night to remove a ring from the finger of an 11-year-old girl.
An appliance from Harrogate Fire Station on Skipton Road was summoned to the hospital ay 6.16pm last night.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log this morning said:
“A Harrogate fire appliance attended A&E to use an electric saw to remove a ring from the finger of an 11-year-old girl.”
It added the request to attend was made by medical staff and the unnamed child and mother were unable to travel to Harrogate fire station.
Last night also saw Knaresborough firefighters respond to a fire in a back garden on Whincup Avenue at 9.42pm.
The incident log said household items were being burned and advice was given.
Read more:
Harrogate Fire Station’s aerial ladder platform shows its value in York
Harrogate Fire Station demonstrated the capabilities of its aerial ladder platform in an exercise at York Minster today.
The platform, which is the longest in North Yorkshire, was utilised on Saturday during a chimney fire at the Castle Inn in Knaresborough.
It was in action again today as part of a training exercise in which Harrogate firefighters were joined at the minster by crews from York, Huntington and Acomb.
According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Risk and Reward Model 2022-2025, which describes how fire resources will be deployed, the only other aerial ladder platforms in the county are based at Huntington, near York, and Scarborough.
However, the other two are only capable of extending 32 metres, whereas Harrogate’s can reach 45 metres.
The platform can extend to 45 metres.
Read more:
- Firefighters called to Knaresborough pub
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Police and fire crews rescue homeless man from Starbeck bin
Police and fire crews rescued a man from a commercial bin in Starbeck last night.
Firefighters from Harrogate were called to a premises in the High Street just after 6pm, where they used small tools to release the man.
A spokesperson for Harrogate Fire Station said:
“It was believed to be a homeless person who got himself trapped accidentally when the lid came down and locked.”
Police officers at the scene offered to take the man to a homeless shelter.
Read more:
- Police issue ‘keep dogs on lead’ plea after sheep killed near Harrogate
- Chimney fire at Boar’s Head in Ripley
Four crews deal with barn fire in village near Harrogate
A dramatic photo released by Harrogate Fire Station shows the extent of the damage done in a barn fire near Huby yesterday.
Fire crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough joined two more appliances from West Yorkshire to tackle the fire at about 2pm.
It took place in a barn measuring around 25 metres by 25 metres, containing straw. Firefighters used hose reel jets to put the fire out.
Once the scene was safe, they also took the opportunity to meet a few of the farm’s occupants.
A firefighter makes friends with a cow after putting out a nearby barn fire. Photo: Harrogate Fire Station.
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