Mother praises fire station for saving daughter
BBCA mother has praised a Dorset fire station at risk of closure after firefighters saved her daughter's life following a car crash.
The crash, in October 2022, left Carla's then-6-year-old daughter, Lila-Claire, with a broken skull.
She spent nine months in hospital, but Carla said the crew from Maiden Newton saved Lila-Claire's life by carrying out CPR until the air ambulance arrived.
Maiden Newton is one of the stations earmarked for closure under proposals which Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority has said would save £1.5m annually.
Carla was travelling from Dorchester back to her home in Yeovil with her family when their car veered off the road in wet weather conditions.
The crew at Maiden Newton arrived at the scene within 11 minutes and carried out CPR on seriously-injured Lila-Claire until the air ambulance landed.
"It was really time critical because obviously her brain was swelling," Carla said.
"Thanks to the crew at Maiden Newton, we were able to get her off in the air ambulance so quickly - because they had to cut all the trees down for the air ambulance to land.
"If we'd have had to wait for another crew from elsewhere, Lila-Claire wouldn't be with us today."
Doctors told Lila-Claire she would never walk or talk again, but, now aged 10, she has since recovered from her injuries.
"I just feel very grateful to still have my daughter," she said.
Carla described the proposals as "madness", highlighting the importance of short response times.
"It would be a lot longer wait, and even three or four minutes in that situation is just too long," she said.
She has added her voice to the campaign to save the Maiden Newton fire station.
Four Dorset stations have been earmarked for closure - Charmouth, Cranborne, Hamworthy and Maiden Newton.
In Wiltshire, Bradford on Avon, Mere, Ramsbury and Wilton are also under threat.
Public consultations in Maiden Newton have taken place this week, with the process ending on 15 May.
A final decision is expected on 30 June.
The fire authority has predicted a budget deficit of £1.2m next year and even more in future years. It has said the closures would save £1.5m annually.
The proposed closures have been met with opposition.
Campaigners in Dorchester chained themselves to a decommissioned fire engine from Maiden Newton dressed as suffragettes on Sunday to to show their opposition to the proposals.
The main motive for the closures is to save money.
The fire authority predicts a budget deficit of £1.2m next year and even more in future years. The closures would save £1.5m annually.
Chief Fire Officer Andy Cole said: "No-one wants to close fire stations.
"As with many public sector organisations, we continue to face significant financial challenges."
