11 May 2009
WORK STARTS ON NEW FIRE STATION
Work has officially got under way on a new, state-of-the-art fire station on Manvers Way in Dearne.
Wentworth MP John Healey, the Local Government Minister, performed the ground-breaking dig for the £5.5 million facility, along with Fire & Rescue Authority Chair, Cllr Jim Andrews, and Chief Fire Officer, Mark Smitherman.
The new fire station will replace the existing sites at Brampton and Mexborough, maintaining South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s target emergency response times to those communities, whilst vastly improving response times to the Thurnscoe area.
Mr Healey said: "I am really impressed with the plans for this state of the art fire station that will not only serve the people of the Dearne Valley but also host specially-trained firefighters who will respond to special rescues across South Yorkshire. Thanks to Government investment through this new facility South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue is strengthening its service and creating new jobs for part-time firefighters who live or work locally."
Mr Smitherman said: “This is the start of a very exciting new development which will improve our service to the Dearne Valley. The new station will bring part-time firefighter jobs to the area and be home to a specialist Technical Rescue Unit (TRU) to serve the whole of South Yorkshire.”
Sutton-in-Ashfield based North Midland Construction Ltd are building the facility, which will feature a four-bay appliance room, bespoke training facilities for the TRU, and a community room which will be available for public use.
The fire station is expected to be completed in March 2010, with the training area to be available from May 2010.