A bid to ditch one of Dovercourt's three fire engines has been shot down in flames.
The proposal is contained in a review by Essex County Fire Brigade.
But Tendring councillors have expressed concern over the suggestion - especially in view of the proposed development of the port.
Over the past three years, the second part-time crewed appliance in question had only been mobilised 53 times - an average of 17.7 times per year - councillors heard.
It was originally placed at the station to provide extra resources to deal with incidents at the docks, especially those involving hazardous substances.
However, changes have been made to the safety management at the docks, the safety of cargo packaging and procedures dealing with such incidents have also changed.
A report also highlighted improvement in the road network, which meant appliances from other stations could get there faster.
Essex Deputy Chief Fire Officer Geoff Smith, who addressed the overview and scrutiny committee last night, said: "What we actively want to do in Dovercourt is change the emphasis from intervention to prevention."
Published Tuesday January 13, 2004
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