Baschurch fire station closure option opposed
People in a Shropshire village have launched a campaign to save its fire station.
Residents fear Baschurch station could be closed as part of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service budget cuts.
Campaigner Paul Ridgley said crews at Shrewsbury and Oswestry may be too busy to react quickly enough to emergencies.
Chief Fire Officer Paul Raymond said the public's concerns "came as no surprise" but the closure was only one of 60 options being considered.
The fire station in Baschurch has one fire appliance manned by four part-time firefighters,
The parish council has set up a website and is using social media sites to rally support.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it has already saved almost £4m from its £20m budget.
Mr Raymond said: "The remaining £1.2m to £1.6m between 2015 and 2020 does mean we need to look at the possibility of reducing front line provision."
He said that any proposals will not be put before the fire authority until spring 2015 and the service is "a long way from closing stations".
The closure of part-time stations in Baschurch, Clun, Prees and Hodnet is one of the options being considered, he confirmed.
Mr Ridgley, who is a parish councillor and a retired fire officer, said he sympathised with the position the fire service is in, but was "absolutely appalled" that it was "actually considering shutting a fire station".