Battle Fire Station meeting - ‘Very dodgy’ crash statistics questioned

Answering a question from a member of the public about attendance, DCFO Gary Walsh told the meeting: “In terms of the number of road traffic collisions that Battle Fire Station goes out to, it’s one per week in the area it covers.”

But this angered Helen Ashenheim.

She pointed out that between 2008-2014, Battle’s firefighters had attended, on average, road traffic collisions in the immediate Battle area and beyond on 360 days a year.

She said: “That’s a lot more than once a week.

“I take issue with these very dodgy statistics.”

Helen also highlighted the frequent crashes on the notorious A21, to which Battle firefighters are often first on the scene and can reach in less than five minutes in an emergency.

Addressing the panel, she said: “Are you aware that the Road Safety Association identifies the A21 as the highest risk busy road in the whole country?

“And you are seriously considering removing the strategically placed fire cover on this road?

“What we are saying here tonight is we should not be cutting frontline services, especially here in Battle, because that will leave a 200 miles squared area vulnerable.”

She added: “This so-called consultation is utterly disingenuous.

“If this is what the 18 Fire Authority members are relying on to be informed, the fact is they may have just as well read a fairytale.”