SOME of the 85 fire stations across Devon and Somerset may close with others re-located in a major overhaul of the service.

Fire chiefs are outlining the future shape of the two counties service in draft proposals to be considered by the fire authority later this month before a 12-week public consultation is launched in July.

No details of possible changes have yet been announced, but it’s understood closures might be reviewed alongside re-location of personnel, appliances, equipment and fire stations.

Earlier this year the Mid-Devon Advertiser revealed the expected relocation of the Newton Abbot station to Forches Cross which could jeopardise the future of facilities at nearby Bovey Tracey and even Ashburton.

Fire chiefs are known to be reluctant to commit to any closures, but all other options are reckoned to be on the table.

They have already admitted that 10-minute targets to attend 999 fire shouts in remote parts of Devon and Somerset are impossible to meet.

Existing targets involve getting one fire engine to a house fire within 10 minutes of a call-out and 15 minutes for pumps reaching road accidents with people reported trapped in vehicles.

The shortfalls emerged in a brigade survey asking for the views of the public on its response strategy.

Findings suggested some target failures were because locations of services were based on standards from the 1940s which focused on property types.

Responses to the survey will shape the initial proposals for changes to the service which will go before the fire authority on June 28 as part of Devon and Somerset’s Safer Together programme.

It’s felt station locations and the way they are crewed don’t currently address issues the service is grappling with, such as new large housing developments, people living further away from their places of work, an increasingly elderly population, changes to technology and far fewer fires to tackle.

A fire spokesman said: ‘Local stations may actually only get a few incidents to respond to – and 23 out of our 85 stations, which is more than a quarter, respond to fewer than 10 incidents a year.

‘There have been significant changes in both technology and our daily habits which have impacted on the number of fires.’

He revealed: ‘The smoking ban, changes to furniture and furnishing regulations – and even the introduction of the oven chip – have all contributed to reducing fire risks inside the home.’

Matters now under consideration include firefighter shift patterns, relocation, refurbishment or rebuilding of stations, placement of and number of fire engines the service has and new types of appliances and equipment.

The service is currently working on the draft proposals to go before the fire authority.

If approved, the consultation process will get underway in July.

No details of what the proposals will be have been revealed, but it’s understood that some of the 85 stations will close while others will be relocated.

The survey, which ended this week, asked the public for views on the initial proposals to change the way services are delivered.