Save Charmouth Fire Station - FBU

05/05/2026

Standby moves... a phrase that has been the centre of controversy and that has been thrown around a lot over the last few months, but what actually does this mean?

Very simply, a standby move is when an appliance is sent to another station to provide cover to an area with a higher risk profile. These appliances are then on immediate turnout times and can respond to any incidents that then occur in and around that area. Often these appliances are moved between several local stations whilst on standby duties, especially in and around the BCP conurbation.

Generally speaking, the closer stations are to each other, the better for standby moves. As this means there isn't a large gap in fire cover created when moving the local appliance elsewhere. Hamworthy and Poole are a great example of this, as while on standby at Poole, Hamworthy's fire engine can still respond to incidents in their own area in roughly the same time that it would take them normally with their 5 minute on call turnout time.

However if and when stations begin to close, there won't be stations as close together anymore.

Just in the last few weeks, the stations up for closure have provided the following standby moves...

● Charmouth Fire Station provided fire cover in Dorchester where they responded to an incident in Weymouth

● Maiden Newton Fire Station provided cover in Sturminster Newton and Weymouth while other incidents were ongoing

● Hamworthy Fire Station have provided cover at Poole, Westbourne, Springbourne and Verwood in the last 7 days

● Wilton Fire Station have provided cover in Salisbury and Amesbury

● Bradford on Avon Fire Station were sent to standby in Trowbridge

● Ramsbury Fire Station provided standby cover in Marlborough

Unbelievably, no standby moves have been included in any evaluations for any stations! They have been labelled as purely backfilling and having no response time means they have no value!

However an important factor has been left out... the closure of stations would not mean less standby moves are needed, it simply means crews will be travelling from further away to provide cover, which create unacceptable gaps in the fire cover of the area they have been sent from!

Over the last few years, I have witnessed dozens upon dozens of standby moves, some of which are shown below... Weymouth on standby at Poole at the beginning of the Holt Heath fire last August, Bridport on standby at Dorchester while local crews dealt with a field fire and Charmouth also on standby at Dorchester!

Don't let Dorset & Wiltshire FRS only use half of the data to make their decisions on the value of these stations!

Please make sure you have filled in the public consultation and had your say, there is only 11 days left!

https://www.dwfire.org.uk/about-us/your-fire-and-rescue-service/proposed-station-closures

Save Our Fire Stations Save Charmouth Fire Station - FBU Save Hamworthy Fire Station Save Bradford on Avon Fire Station - FBU Fire Brigade Union Dorset and Wilshire

05/05/2026

🚨🚨10 Days to Save the Station🚨🚨

The only way for your voice to be heard is to complete the public consultation. It will end on the 15th May, find the link in the comments to complete it 👇👇👇

Link and share to spread the word!!!

28/04/2026

Well done, Ben! Another reason we need the station open.

Congratulations to FF Ben Clist who joins our crew after finishing his basic training. Ben will go on to complete further training courses over the next two years as he works towards becoming a fully competent firefighter. In the meantime he will build his experience responding to emergency calls with the rest of the Charmouth Fire Station Crew.

So far this month we have had 10 shouts, so I'm sure Ben won't have to wait long for his first shout.

Welcome to the crew Ben

22/04/2026

Two of Charmouth's FBU members were invited to Parliament. To lobby the Government for extra funding to stop the immediate cuts and reforms to the wider fire and rescue sector.

15/04/2026

Fantastic turn out from our local community to campaign against the cuts.

Thank you to everyone who turned out over the last couple of days.

Fire Brigades Union Save Our Fire Stations

15/04/2026

14/04/2026

Massive win for firefighters and residents in Oxfordshire, and we can do the same here!

Now is the time to put pressure on the Fire Authority to stop the cuts.

12/04/2026

🚨🚨 Public Meeting with the Chief and Fire Authority Members at St. Andrew's Community Hall🚨🚨

This is your chance to tell them directly what you think of their proposed changes. We need as many people as possible to attend to show them the strength of feeling in the village!

They are THIS Tuesday 14th at 6:30 pm and Wednesday 15th at 11:00 am

11/03/2026

I still have have not received a response to my letters to the Chancellor and the Fire Minister about funding for DWFireRescue and the potential closure of Charmouth and Maiden Newton stations, so today I have tabled an Early Day Motion.

That this House recognises the outstanding and lifesaving work by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and fire services across the United Kingdom; notes with concern the proposed closure of Charmouth and Maiden Newton Fire Stations in West Dorset; further notes that the proposals are driven...

11/03/2026

Today at PMQs, Andrew Murrison raised the issue of DWFRS funding directly with the Prime Minister, who has promised a meeting between the Treasury and the affected MPs.

This is an incredibly important step in the right direction, but we shouldn't rest on our laurels. We need to keep up the pressure and continue to respond to the public consultation.