A Well-Attended Open Day at Tring Fire Station

Tring Fire Station held a well-attended Open Day last Saturday, 4th August, 2018. However, during that time they had to send both engines out - one to deal with an electrical fire in Berkhamsted and the second to a separate incident elsewhere. Both despatches were handled with speed and efficiency and the first engine returned only just after the second had left. The Open Day was able to proceed without interruption with at least one engine present for the visitors to examine for most of the day.

The Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service is part of the Hertfordshire County Council's responsibilities. Lib Dem County Councillor for Tring and the Villages, Nick Hollinghurst, visited to thank the Fire & Rescue Staff for their efficiency and dedication towards keeping the people of Tring and the surrounding villages safe.

Most of the 14 local volunteers were present and they were joined and supported by the Police and the Ambulance Service.

The para-medics were kept busy demonstrating the equipment in their ambulance and taking blood pressure measurements.

Meanwhile the fire officers carried out their scary chip pan fire demonstration - showing the right way and a very wrong way to deal with a pan of burning cooking oil. There was a chance for young people to try out a fire hose and two fire officers were demonstrating the beneficial uses of well-controlled fire by cooking some really delicious beef burgers.

There was also a visit from an elderly handsome ladder appliance from North London - as you can see in the picture.

The Hertfordshire Police & Crime Commissioner, following encouragement from the Consrvative minority government, has put in a bid applying to take over this service from Hertfordshire County Council. However every single county councillor from each of the three political parties have unanimously opposed what they consider to be a totally unnecessary bid for a service which is performing well as part of the county council and able to liase effectively with other county functions such as Social Services, Children and Young People Services and Public Safety.

Councillor Hollinghurst said, "Transferring the Fire & Rescue Service away from the 78 county councillors, all of whom are elected and are easily accessible to their electors, to one single Police and Crime Commissioner is a massive reduction in democratic oversight and accountability. The appalling tragedy of Grenville Tower is still a very raw memory and now is not the time to reduce the hands-on involvement and the overview and scrutiny of a key service that a county council can provide."