A new major fire station and community safety education centre for Gloucestershire have moved a step closer this week.

A redundant county council building in Shepherd Road, Tuffley, is being demolished to make way for the new Gloucester community fire station and "groundbreaking life skills centre", according to the service.

The Shepherd Road Station is one of four new community fire stations being built in the county by local contractor, Kier Moss. These new stations will allow Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service to reach any life-threatening emergency within eight minutes.

The demolition will last around 13 weeks followed by a 50-week construction programme. The two buildings should be handed over to Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service in June 2012.

The life skills centre will be used to educate people about living safely. A spokesperson told FIRE: "This unique interactive facility will allow a range of visitors, including schools, community and business groups, to experience first-hand a range of risks and their consequences within a safe environment. Sixteen different risk scenarios are being built into the centre.

"These will include risks around rail, road, water, internet, building sites, electricity sub stations, farms, drugs, alcohol and flooding, as well as risks within the home."

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Youth, witnessed the demolition work taking place yesterday, along with firefighters and representatives from Kier Moss.

He said: "I'm delighted to see work beginning on the new fire stations. When the project is complete, we will be able to get to more of those that need our help even faster and provide even more effective safety education.

"People of all ages will take away something of lasting value when they visit the life skills centre. It will provide visitors with the vital information and skills for life that they need to help keep them and their families safe."

 

Posted on 19th April 2011 at 1350 by Andrew Lynch. Comment by emailing andrew.lynch@pavpub.com