PLANS for on a new fire station and safety education centre in Lymm are a step closer following a turf cutting ceremony.
Pupils from local schools joined Chair of Cheshire Fire Authority, Cllr John Joyce and Deputy Chair Cllr Stef Nelson, for the official ground-breaking of the new facility at the site off Cliff Lane.
Cllr. Joyce said: “This is an exciting development that will benefit this and future generations as we strive to achieve our vision of a Cheshire where where there are no deaths, injuries or damage from fires and other emergencies. I am delighted, that despite the fact the Authority is facing ongoing financial cuts, it is still able to invest in frontline response as well as education and, instead of closing stations, fund more.”
The new fire station will provide full time cover and training facilities to ensure that firefighters continue to respond effectively to a variety of scenarios.
In addition, Safety Central, the area’s first purpose-built education and lifeskills facility will deliver educational programmes in an interactive way to ensure visitors to the centre take away important safety information. The programmes are devised and written with the aim of reducing accidental deaths and injuries from fire, at home, on the road and in the community.
Cllr Joyce added: “Safety Central’s programmes will be targeted at schools, new parents and the carers of older and vulnerable people. They will cover the hazards that they are most likely to encounter in and around their homes and communities.”
Learning will take place in a series of purpose-built indoor scenarios designed to be realistic, immersive and interactive, including:
-a lifesize three-bedroom house
-a typical Cheshire A-road meandering through an urban and a rural setting
-a courtroom, cyber-safety classroom, shop and police custody suite
-a farm, railway station, urban park, forest, canalside and open water
-an immersive virtual learning zone
Safety Central is due to open in the summer of 2017, with Lymm Fire Station due to open in spring 2017.
The Safety Central website is now live at www.safetycentral.org.uk.
