PEOPLE are being invited to have their say in shaping the future of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The fire service has prepared proposals to redefine how incidents will be responded to, including different vehicle and crewing models, to create a “more relevant and efficient” fire and rescue service.

These proposals were approved last Wednesday by the service’s governing body, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority, to go to a formal 12-week consultation, which will run until December 4.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service operates from 51 stations in the county – and that is how it will stay following he Planning for a Safer Hampshire review. The change will come in how each station will deliver individual levels of service in terms of personnel and equipment.

Over the past 18 months, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has worked on a comprehensive review of its internal services in the face of the potential £12.2m gap in Government funding over the next four years.

While recent reviews have focused on back office provision and support teams, leading to the introduction of collaborative partnerships and shared service programmes, these proposals are aimed at making better, more efficient use of personnel and resources. There remain no plans to reduce the number of stations or impose any frontline compulsory redundancies.

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We have in no way compromised the safety of firefighters or indeed the people in the communities that we so proudly serve.”

Having already made significant strides in risk reduction over the past 10 years, using educational programmes, prevention initiatives and community and business safety events, the fire service has now carried out a detailed review of frontline operations; engaging with staff across the organisation to identify three specific areas for improvement.

The first has centred on emergency response vehicles. The traditional fire engines, with crews of four to six firefighters, are not always the most appropriate response for the wide range of incidents served. By diversifying the fleet it is hoped to create a more effective and efficient response.

The second area of improvement is the implementation of an activity-based crewing model to ensure that fire stations are resourced in a more risk-based way. Data shows that most incidents happen during the day and early evening, and the proposal is to introduce four crewing models to match the risk profile of each station area.

While Petersfield, Alton, Bordon, and Lihook and Petersfield will operate at activity-based crewing level four, Basingstoke fire station will be graded levels one and four, with 15 full-time firefighters able to effect an immediate round-the-clock response, and 10 retained firefighters on call.

Thirdly the aim is to create a more demand-led and flexible crewing system, so that there are more staff on duty when they are needed, and fewer during the periods of lower activity, reducing employee costs.

In urging people to “make their voices heard”, Chief Officer Dave Curry said: “We want to deliver an effective service in accordance with the needs of its local communities, ensuring that we match our resources to levels of known risk. In light of the changes in risk across Hampshire and potential financial challenges, it is vital that we remain relevant, become more efficient and provide the people of Hampshire with a first-class fire and rescue service.

To access an online questionnaire, visit hantsfire.gov.uk where there will be details of public meeting in Winchester on October 14 and Basingstoke on October 19.