Anger over Waratah fire station closure – Local News – News – General – The Herald

THE asbestos-riddled Waratah fire station will not be replaced and neighbouring brigades are set to pick up the slack in a move that has angered the firefighters’ union.

Fire chiefs will announce today that the 16 firefighters and their vehicles will remain working from Toronto after relocating from Waratah nearly 18 months ago because of concerns about the building’s asbestos.

NSW Fire Brigades metropolitan operations director Assistant Commissioner Mark Brown said following consultation it was decided the Waratah area was covered sufficiently without having to replace the old station.

Mr Brown said data had shown response times would only be extended by up to 30 seconds and the workload could be covered by neighbouring stations at Mayfield West, Hamilton, Wallsend, Lambton and New Lambton.

NSW Fire Brigades figures released yesterday show significant increases in the number of call-outs in the 12 months prior to July by the nearest full-time stations at Mayfield West (618 to 815) and Hamilton (1017 to 1097) since the Waratah station was shut.

However, a spokeswoman said those increases were in line with an overall increase of 2 per cent in emergency incidents attended by the state’s fire crews.

NSW Fire Brigade Employees Union state secretary Jim Casey said the firefighters lost to the Newcastle area should have been replaced.