Fire station opens after £2.7m rebuild

A new £2.7m fire station will help crews respond to growing challenges such as wildfires and flooding, according to a local MP.

The new Howden Fire Station opened on Friday and features a new appliance bay, improved changing and welfare facilities, and a community meeting space.

David Davis, MP for Goole and Pocklington, said the investment would strengthen the fire service's ability to respond to incidents in the area.

He said: "Modern facilities like the new station are essential if the fire and rescue service is to operate effectively and tackle any local emergencies like the wood fire outside Pollington earlier this week."

The project involved the complete redevelopment of Howden's previous fire station, which opened in 1964.

The rebuild, which began in 2024, was due to be completed in 2025, but was delayed after the removal of equipment from the site took longer than anticipated, the fire service said.

Replacing a building previously heated by oil, the new facility has solar panels and an air source heat pump to help reduce carbon emissions.

Improvements have also been made to the training tower to support firefighter training and development.

The fire service said the station, crewed by on-call firefighters, has been designed to meet the latest standards on firefighter safety, while providing a healthier and more inclusive workplace.

Chief fire officer Phil Shillito said it would also "improve operational effectiveness and ensure we remain equipped to meet future challenges".

In July, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service logged 17 grass or field-based fires over two days.

Crews from Humberside Fire and Rescue also attended the recent large-scale wood recycling plant blaze in Pollington.

Davis, who attended the opening on Saturday, called for more to be done to encourage people to become on-call firefighters.

"We should remember that today's fire service is a comprehensive emergency response organisation handling everything from wildfires and flooding to wider civil emergencies and more should be done to encourage people to volunteer in these roles," he said.

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