Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service Press Release
New era for Dursley Fire Station

The £1.6million state-of-the-art new fire station in Dursley is officially open for business.

Boasting the most modern facilities in the county, the purpose built community station is now located in Kingshill Road.

On Wednesday 22 April more than 100 invited guests and dignitaries, gathered to see the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Henry Elwes, officially open the station.

As well as including the traditional, engine bays and equipment stores, Dursley now has a series of modern training rooms which can be smoke-filled for real-life exercises, a gym and meeting rooms which can be used by the community.

It will also be home to the county’s only Mass Decontamination Disrobe Unit (MDD), which can be used across the UK for incident including chemical spills or even terrorist attacks.

One of the county’s two new hovercrafts will also be based at the station, which will serve Dursley and the surrounding communities including Stroud, Wotton, Nailsworth and Tetbury.

It is likely that other crews and officers from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, which is part of Gloucestershire County Council’s Community Safety Directorate, will also use Dursley for training or corporate events.

The project complements Gloucestershire County Council’s £40 million redevelopment of Rednock School, which is next door to the new station.

The previous station in Castle Street will be demolished to make way for the new Sainsbury’s supermarket.

Chief Fire Officer Terry Standing, who is currently on secondment with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, came back to attend the opening ceremony.

He said: “Today is a very special day for Dursley and for Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.

“This investment into community safety in Dursley is long-awaited and I am extremely proud to be here to see this fantastic station officially open to the public.

“No other station in Gloucestershire has facilities like this and I am sure it will be a huge asset to Dursley and the rest of the county.”

ENDS

Photos

Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Mr H W G Elwes JP, officially opens the station

L-R: Chief Fire Officer - Terry Standing, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Council - Pete Bungard, Station Manager - Graham Ponting

Dursley Community Fire Station

Demonstration of the MDD unit at the opening

CONTACT:
Issued by Lisa Bonnell, Gloucestershire County Council's Media Team
Tel: 01452 425226

29th April 2009