FRIZINGTON fire station can be saved if people “make their voices heard”, says a former retained fire chief.

David Moore, ex-watch manager at Seascale, is urging people to fight against the proposals because a number of fire stations have been saved by the “sheer weight of public opinion” in recent years.

The retained station could be axed along with another four fire stations in the county, saving Cumbria County Council around £400,000 a year as it aims to cut £37 million from its budget.

“The situation is the same as when Cumbria County Council tried to close Whitehaven’s retained fire station four years ago,” said Mr Moore. “They were swayed by public opinion then. It was not acceptable four years ago and it is not acceptable now.

“This is a worst case scenario and there are better ways to save money than to put lives at risk.

“I can’t believe anyone, including county councillors, want to see this station close and all we need is for the public make their voices heard.”

Public demonstrations are planned and a petition has gathered hundreds of signatures after plans to close the part-time station were unveiled.

“People often don’t think their voices are listened to and that they can’t change things” said Mr Moore. “But over the last four years, we’ve seen decisions to close fire stations in Penrith and Maryport overturned, because of the sheer weight of public opinion.”

The Frizington closure could increase response times by 15 minutes, endangering lives and leaving firefighters and the public “scared about their safety”, says the Cumbria Fire Brigades Union (FBU).

Last week, the FBU’s secretary Graeme Higgins said that firefighters and the public were “scared about their safety” and that services were already stretched because of a lack of retained firefighters in the county.

An online petition and Facebook campaign have now been signed and ‘liked’ by over 1,000 people.

Despite the backlash, assurances have come from assistant chief fire officer Steve Healey, who said: “We are confident that the proposed emergency cover arrangements are safe and a good use of resources. Additionally, if the public accept this proposal we still have 39 frontline fire engines, strategically located across the county at 33 fire stations.”