Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue moves to Cambourne

Firefighters currently based in Papworth Everard will soon be relocating to the fire station in Cambourne. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service believe that moving the fire engine will improve its fire cover in the area as there are more people in Cambourne to become on-call firefighters, who live or work within five minutes of the fire station.

Delayed fire emergency response

On-call firefighters are not based at a fire station, they go about their normal lives and wear an alerter which goes off if they are needed. They then immediately make their way to the fire station. Since the hospital moved out of Papworth, the fire service has struggled to have enough on-call firefighters available in the day as a number of the crew worked at the hospital and could respond from there.

This has meant that fire engines from neighboring towns have been sent instead to around half of all incidents in the area. Although they respond quickly, the extra travel time does cause more of a delay.

Change in the risk profile

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Jon Anderson explained, “When Cambourne fire station was built as part of the new town development in 2010, it was always intended that the fire engine from Papworth would eventually move to Cambourne. That is why we built it with a modern training facility too, something Papworth doesn’t have and it would cost thousands of pounds to bring Papworth up to a modern-day standard.”

“With the hospital gone, the risk profile of the area has also changed for us as it was always our greatest risk from fire. With the number of houses rapidly growing in Cambourne, the risk balance has tipped, and now is an appropriate time to make the move.”

Better incident response times

Jon continued, “The greatest driver for the move though is our belief that we can improve our response times to incidents in both Papworth and Cambourne. With a greater population of people to recruit on-call firefighters from, we stand a much better chance of having the fire engine available in daytime hours.”

“Being an on-call firefighter is incredibly rewarding. It is a paid role but many of our on-call firefighters join to support their local community and do something worthwhile alongside their main employment.”

Relocation details

The relocation of the station will begin in March and will take a few weeks to complete. During this time, the availability of the fire engine to respond will not be impacted. Following the relocation, the station will be fully decommissioned, with the site likely to be sold.

To read more exclusive features and latest news please see our February issue here.

Media contact

Rebecca Morpeth Spayne,
Editor, International Fire Buyer
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922
Email: [email protected]

About Fire Buyer

International Fire Buyer is the leading authority in global passive and active fire content, delivering expert news, in-depth articles, exclusive interviews, and industry insights across print, digital, and event platforms. Published 10 times a year, the magazine is a trusted resource for professionals seeking updates and analysis on the latest developments in the fire sector.

To submit an article, or for sponsorship opportunities, please contact our team below.

Chris Lingham image - Fire Buyer

Chris Lingham

Group Sales Manager

Afua Akoto picture - Fire Buyer

Afua Akoto

Marketing Manager

Read the Latest Issue

Follow us on X

Follow us on X

Click Here

Follow us on LinkedIn

Follow us on LinkedIn

Click Here

Advertise here

Reach decision makers and amplify your marketing

Advertise here

Click Here

Related News

Picture of Magirus CEO handover - Photo by Magirus GmbH - Fire Buyer

Magirus Appoints New CEO as Leadership Transition Begins

Magirus GmbH has announced a change in leadership, with Fatmir Veselaj set to take over as CEO of the Ulm-based firefighting technology
Picture of INTERZCHUTZ event - Photo by Rainer Jensen - Fire Buyer

INTERSCHUTZ 2026: “Turning Point” Brings New Momentum

With eleven months to go before the start of INTERSCHUTZ 2026, strong exhibitor interest is already evident for the world’s leading trade
Picture of Cast-Pro product award winner - Photo by C-TEC - Fire Buyer

CAST-PRO Wins Fire Innovation of the Year Award

CAST-PRO, the integrated ‘all in one’ fire detection and alarm device, has been named Fire Innovation of the Year at the Fire & Security
Picture of new Oshkosh Striker Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting vehicles - Photo by Oshkosh - Fire Buyer

Oshkosh Striker Fire Trucks Arrive at DC Airports

Oshkosh Airport Products has announceed the delivery of three advanced Striker Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles to the

José Musse Joins Judging Panel for 2025 Fire Buyer Awards

We’re excited to announce that Jose Musse, Director – Fire Training Center of Peru, will be joining the esteemed judging panel for the 2025 Fire Buyer Awards, taking place on November 13.
Picture of Desu Systems store front - Photo by Desu Systems - Fire Buyer

Desu Systems to Present Kitchen Safety Innovations at Host Milano 2025

This October, Desu Systems will take part in the international hospitality exhibition, Host Milano 2025 in Milan, bringing attention to one

Frederick Kauser Joins Judging Panel for 2025 Fire Buyer Awards

We’re pleased to announce that Frederick Kauser, Technical Advisor at Esteri Group, will be joining the esteemed judging panel for the 2025

Bernie Higgins Joins Judging Panel for 2025 Fire Buyer Awards

We’re excited to announce that Bernie Higgins, Operations Director at The Ethical Fire Safety Risk Management (TEFSRM) Group Ltd, will be
Picture of Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority receiving NFPA Fire Award - Photo by Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority

Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority Receives NFPA Fire Award

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has announced that the Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority (ADCDA) has been selected
Picture of inside a prison - photo by Fire Buyer

Siemens Fire Safety Upgrade Transforms Irish Prison Operations

Siemens has completed a comprehensive fire safety system upgrade across eight facilities operated by the Irish Prison Service (IPS)
Scroll to Top