Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (Commissioner), David Allen, has invested almost £1m into fire stations across the county to ensure that the building are fit for purpose, and Firefighters can better respond to call outs.
During the financial year 2025/26, the Commissioner invested £970,000 into six fire stations across Cumbria: Whitehaven, Windermere, Silloth, Grange-over-Sands, Longtown and Barrow-in-Furness. The refurbishments and improvements include new toilet and shower facilities; electrical rewiring; new radiators; new breathing apparatus washing area; locker room refurbishments; new radiators; and fire alarm installation.
A key element of the refurbishment focussed on decontamination of crew and equipment following major incidents. Improved wash facilities allow firefighters to quickly clean off ensuring that no harmful contaminants linger on their gear or body, meaning safer and healthier environments within stations.
Speaking on the investment, Commissioner David Allen, said: “Investing in our local fire stations is so important as these are the central hubs for our local firefighters. They need to be fit for purpose to allow our frontline staff to respond to emergencies and incidents as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“The smallest changes can make the difference such as modern shower facilities. When our firefighters return from jobs they may have contaminants on their clothes, hair, skin etc. and need somewhere to clean off quickly. Having the right layout and capabilities of a station can have a huge impact on the delivery of service to the public and the wellbeing of our crews.
“‘Putting People First’ is a priority in my Police, Fire and Crime Plan and this commitment is at the heart of these upgrades. We want our communities to feel supported and valued ensuring that our buildings will be long-standing and fit-for-purpose for current and future generations of Blue Light responders all with the aim of protecting Cumbria’s safety.
“I look forward to seeing this work continue across the county and how it benefits the crews, communities and our residents.”
Temporary Chief Fire Officer, Ben Ryder said: “By modernising the welfare facilities on our stations we are also making a significant investment in our firefighters’ safety.
“We have made great progress as a service in reducing the risk of fire contaminants and it was really pleasing to receive praise recently from Anna Stec, Professor of Fire Chemistry and Toxicity at University of Lancashire, for our thorough use of procedures for managing contaminants at the tactical firefighting event in Merseyside.
“Those efforts to protect our people begin on the fireground, where we have invested in developing the right procedures and providing appropriate cleaning products, but they also extend to our stations, where our firefighters need modern, fit for purpose welfare facilities.
“By enhancing our station infrastructure and providing better welfare facilities for our crews to use after an incident we are working towards our vision of making Cumbria a safer place for all – which starts with our people.”