by Lisa Bradley
A new £1.4m fire station was opened in Rothwell yesterday.
The Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Michael Fox, was guest of honour at the event and called the new £1.4m facility “fantastic”.
The single-storey building has replaced its pre-existing two-storey fire station on the same site on Carlton Lane, Rothwell, built in 1963, and has been operational since January.
Since then, firefighters have attended approximately 180 incidents.
It comprises a two bay vehicle garage, offices and rest and recreation areas as well as a new community room for use by groups in and around the Rothwell area.
Chief Fire Officer Simon Pilling said: “The new fire station at Rothwell represents a significant investment by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority having cost close to £1.4 million pounds.
“The new Rothwell Fire Station, alongside others, will provide a first class facility from which to deliver our highly effective emergency response and community safety activities to Rothwell and the surrounding areas for many years to come.”
Chair of the Fire Authority, Councillor Judith Hughes added: “The Fire and Rescue Authority has had to make some difficult decisions over the past few years to deliver the efficiency savings to balance the budget and I am sure we have many more challenges ahead. In spite of these challenges it is so important to be able to continue to invest in fantastic facilities such as this.”
The new station will house 14 firefighters and one fire engine, providing 24/7 cover 365 days of the year.