Wimbledon News
Morden unveiled as London control centre for all 999 fire calls
8:00am Tuesday 7th February 2012
London’s brand new control centre was officially unveiled last week at its new headquarters in Morden.
The new London Fire Brigade operations centre, in Deer Park Road, was opened by London’s mayor, Boris Johnson, on Wednesday, February 1, alongside the Government's fire minister, Bob Neill MP.
Merton Council’s leader, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, said the centre would be a “great boost for jobs in Merton”, with some 100 staff handling the capital’s 250,000 emergency calls each year.
Mr Johnson said: “The opening of this new operation centre is testament to our commitment to deliver a fire service that London needs, whilst protecting the pockets of hard-pressed Londoners.
“With the eyes of the world on the city this year, it is essential that we have the systems in places so that our response to any incidents will be quick and robust.”
The building was originally specified and built as part of the failed regional FireControl project, which was abandoned in December 2010 after costs were projected to overrun by over £150m to over half a billion pounds.
But, following an agreement has between London’s fire authority and the Government, the London Fire Brigade has claimed the new centre will save about £600,000.
The Government is also paying £2.25m towards the future purchase of a new ‘999’mobilising system.
London’s Fire Authority Chairman, Councillor Brian Coleman, added: “I am delighted that we have been able to salvage this excellent facility from the wreckage of the regional control project whilst saving the London council tax payer money. This is a good deal.”
The building will also house the fire service’s National Co-ordination Centre, which is due to move from West Yorkshire to Merton in April, bringing London and national fire service emergency planning under one roof.
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