IT IS baffling to thing that a continually expanding community like the Yate and Chipping Sodbury area could face dramatic cuts in its emergency services cover.

While it is understandable that cuts and savings have to be made for targets to be met, reducing the overnight cover does not seem to the normal person as the right call.

Yes there are probably statistics of when and how incidents occur to support these proposals, but statistics do not mean anything to someone who loses their home or even worse a loved one in a fire that could have been prevented.

Places like Badminton and Coalpit Heath, which are already on the cusp of the 10 minute callout area are those that could be waiting twice as long for a fire engine, the worrying part for some of these people who live in more remote area is that they won’t even have other people close by who might be able to react.

These plans really do need a second look. As it has been said, one life lost is one too many.