MP Criticism Of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service Equipment Sparks Council Response
- Karen Dunn LDR
- 15 hours ago
- 2 min read
A West Sussex MP has been criticised by the county council for being “poorly informed” after raising concerns about the state of local fire service equipment.
Chichester MP Jess Brown-Fuller visited the city’s fire station and claimed much of the service’s equipment, including breathing apparatus and fire engines, was “out of date and needs replacing.”
She said:
“West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service have clearly been through savage cuts, which has put a lot of pressure on our serving firemen and women.
"But nothing can excuse the growing pile of ageing equipment… it is high time senior councillors at County Hall talk to front-line firefighters and give this service the investment it deserves.”
However, Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire & Rescue, dismissed her claims as “not accurate” and “baseless.”
He highlighted what he described as significant ongoing investment by the council, including:
Two 18-tonne water carriers purchased earlier this year
A £25.4 million fire station and training centre in Horsham opened in 2023
Plans to buy 12 medium pumping appliances, eight off-road light pumps, six modern fire engines, and a new Incident Command Unit
Mr Crow also defended the service’s breathing apparatus, calling suggestions it was outdated “misleading.”
He explained:
“All breathing apparatus equipment undergoes annual maintenance inspections.
"Any set found sub-standard is removed and repaired to return to fully compliant operational condition.
"A major upgrade with new equipment from Interspiro is due to arrive by Christmas and will be fully operational by February 2027.”
He added that all safety-critical equipment is regularly tested and replaced at the end of its lifecycle as part of the council’s Capital Replacement Programme.
Funding remains a challenge, with council resources stretched due to reductions in central government support.
Yet, Mr Crow pointed out that His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire & Rescue Services rated West Sussex “good” for making the best use of its resources.
“These are not ‘savage cuts’ — they are sustained, multi-million-pound investments to ensure our firefighters have the equipment, facilities, and training they need to keep our communities safe,” he said.