Community fire station to be closed and sold

An on-call East Sussex fire station is set to be closed and sold.

Mayfield community fire station, which relies on on-call firefighters, has the lowest activity levels in East Sussex, the county's fire and rescue service said.

In 2023, it responded to 6% of emergency calls, rather than its 50% target, due to a lack of available crew. At least four members of a crew must be available for the fire engine to go out.

After a 12-week public consultation, members of the East Sussex Fire Authority decided on the closure and sale of the site.

East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said the small number of incidents that occurred in the area over the last two years had mostly been attended by neighbouring stations.

The decision means the station's fire engine will be used as a spare appliance where required and its staff budget will be reinvested in operational firefighters, the fire service says.

Chief fire officer Dawn Whittaker said community safety would "always be our priority".

"We will continue to reduce risk, whether through campaigns, events or home safety visits, by engaging with residents in the Mayfield area. We will continue to send the nearest available resources to any emergency," she said.

Amanda Evans, chair of the authority, said: "It is never easy to make these decisions, however, it is vital that the fire authority considers all the evidence and focuses on how East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service can best serve the public and reduce risk, within its budget."

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