Petitioners angry at fire plans

A petition is underway to stop Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service's control room moving to a regional centre incorporating five counties.

Under government plans, the control room - currently based at Lincoln - will move to Castle Donington, Leics.

Officials say this will help the fire service run more effectively and take advantage of the latest technology.

But campaigners say most members of the public do not want the move and it will put lives at risk.

As soon as a 999 call is made from a mobile phone we can narrow it down to a certain area Mike Thomas, Lincolnshire fire chief

They also say that the changes will mean local knowledge is lost, so valuable time could be wasted reaching the scene of a fire.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has announced that Leicestershire will be the site for a single East Midlands fire control centre.

Del Claxton, a member of Lincolnshire CARE - the Campaign Against Regionalisation - said: "A person will be charge at Castle Donington that doesn't know this area.

"We don't want the government to bulldoze the people into this," he said, adding that CARE is organising in Louth, Skegness, Boston and all over the county.

Mr Claxton, who used to work for the CCTV control room in Skegness, said: "If fire brigade know where the place is that is OK, but if it is out of the way they will need more directions and that could cause a time delay."

Mike Thomas, fire chief for Lincolnshire, said: "We deliver the first appliance out within 45 seconds - and we expect the new centre to achieve this same standard."

He added: "Modern technology means as soon as a 999 call is made from a mobile phone we can narrow it down to a certain area."