AN AMBULANCE parked outside your local fire station is a sight set to become commonplace in Notts.
As part of controversial restructuring plans, East Midlands Ambulance Service has asked Notts Fire and Rescue Service if it can use fire stations as bases to park up and wait for 999 calls to attend.
The fire service is expected to allow the request on the proviso that the ambulance service pay them a small amount of rent.
A pilot scheme is due to be trialed at three fire stations in the coming months – at West Bridgford, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Stapleford.
The Notts Fire Authority is due to meet on Friday to discuss the plans.
Lester White, watch manager at West Bridgford Fire Station, said: "We have been told that our station is included in the first trial.
"Apparently all the ambulance service need is a space to park their ambulance and to be able to use the toilets and make a cup of tea.
"We don't envisage seeing the ambulance crews very often because they receive an awful lot more calls than us."
Mr White said that ambulances would not block the access for the fire engines.
If the pilot scheme is successful then the idea is expected to be rolled out to a "sizeable number" of the 24 fire stations in the county.
East Midlands Ambulance Service's plans to co-locate are part of the service's "Being the Best" programme, which is reducing the number of ambulance stations in the East Midlands from 65 to 28.
The new structure will create nine "super hubs" across the East Midlands and 19 smaller ambulance stations, plus 108 community points, where ambulance staff will be based between calls.
In Notts there will be one "super hub" – in Nottingham – and the county will retain six stations and gain a further 25 community standby points.
A spokesperson for the East Midlands Ambulance Service said: "When we launched our Being the Best change proposals in 2012, we said the ambulance service would explore opportunities to share premises with other branches of the NHS, as well as organisations such as the police and fire service.
"We have had discussions with colleagues from these organisations to identify the options which may be available in Nottinghamshire."
"So far, no decisions have been made."
