Carterton Fire Station is currently located on a tucked away industrial estate at 1 Clare Terrace just off Black Bourton Road. The Station opened on 30 November 2018 and although it gives the Oxfordshire Fire Service a much-needed presence in the town, the space they have is not ideal especially as there is no drill yard on site for their weekly Tuesday night drill training sessions. However, plans for a new Fire Station in Monahan Way, not far from Carterton Sports Pavilion, are well under way.
On-Call firefighter Crew Manager Richard Perry-Swinnerton tells us more. “To have a larger site with suitable parking and room for us to train on-site will make a huge difference to all the members of the team, both the full-time firefighters and our on-call crews. Currently we have to go off site each week away from our unit in Clare Terrace. We will also be located in a much more prominent position making it easier for people to locate us. Obviously, my crew are well known around Carterton as we frequently attend community events such as Remembrance Sunday and the Christmas Lights Switch On. When possible, we also get involved in charitable events, fundraising for both the Fire Service charities and others in the area. We are all hoping that at some point in 2024 as the plans have now been finalised, that we will see the diggers move in and start building the base for the new Fire Station.”
The Carterton Fire Station, like most others around Oxfordshire, would like to recruit additional On-Call firefighters to be available during the weekdays from early morning until early evening. The Station has 13 On-Call firefighters who also have employment elsewhere. These range from mechanics, landscapers, postman, RAF Firefighters, and several Whole-time firefighters. However even with the firefighters they have available at RAF Brize Norton, covering the daytime hours with sufficient crew members in an emergency can be a struggle. Firefighters have to be 18 or over, live or work within 5 minutes of a fire station and be able to respond at a moment’s notice. You must be prepared to be on call for 40 hours per week, preferably during the weekdays. They will receive the same training as a full-time firefighter, but rather than being based at a fire station, they will be called out to respond to incidents when they are needed. This could be on average two or three times a week for an hour or two. They may also be asked to spend time in the local community attending local events where they do a lot of fire prevention work. Each week, they will also need to attend a drill night to participate in training exercises and carry out equipment maintenance. If you may be interested in finding out what is required to be an on-call firefighter, simply visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/working-oxfordshire-county-council/fire-service-recruitment/on-call-firefighters.
As well as fighting fires in the local area and attending serious road traffic accidents, for over 15 years the Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire & Rescue Service also provide invaluable advice on how to help keep you, your home and your family safe both inside your home and on the road. Their Safe & Well visits enable you to obtain advice on fire safety in the home, including having a smoke alarm installed where necessary. This successful fire prevention approach has helped to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries caused due to fires in the home. When attending a Safe & Well visit, fire officers can identify and act upon a significantly wider range of risks and signpost householders to the services which are available across the county.
Visits usually take no longer than 60 minutes and you will be able to access important advice on fire safety such as the use of open fires or wood burners, electrical issues, cooking, and escape plans in the event of a fire. As smoking is a leading cause of fires in the home, the Fire Service’s partners can also offer support and advice to help people stop smoking. For people who are at risk of falling due to age or physical or learning disabilities, the teams can provide advice and simple actions to take to reduce the risk and also provide a link to partners, if required. Alcohol and substance dependence is another common contributing factor to the cause of fires in the home. Again, the team can provide helpful information. They can also provide safety information for drivers and cyclist when using the open highway to prevent accidents and injuries.
To request a Safe & Well visit or find out more about Community Safety please visit 365alive.co.uk or call 08000 325 999.
