Fears Erith residents could die were raised at a meeting where fire bosses discussed permanently removing the area's second engine - despite a worrying trend which shows wait times in Bexley are already increasing.
Erith Fire Station, in Erith Road, lost one of two fire engines in August 2013, as an insurance policy against possible future strikes by union members in the London Fire Brigade (LFB).
It is one of 13 which may never be returned, as the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) attempt to balance the budget.
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The permanent removal of the machines is one of two options currently being consulted on.
The second would see them restored with the introduction of alternate crewing - meaning some stations would have just one crew for both an engine and special appliance.
At a meeting in Borough, central London, on Monday evening, London fire commissioner Ron Dobson admitted that it was "a sad fact" that reducing numbers of fire engines would increase response times, but added: "In terms of attendance times across boroughs, the brigade still performs well."
He said that the number of fires across London is decreasing - in Erith, there were 194 incidents last year compared to 217 in 2012/13.
London Assembly member Tom Copley said even small increases in waiting times can have serious consequences, saying: "A fire can quadruple in size in just two minutes.
"I do not think salami slicing fire stations is the correct approach."
Pensioner Marilyn Murray, whose dad served in the fire brigade, asked at the meeting: "Are you going to wait until people die?
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"Whilst you are consulting about whether people are going to die or not, what happens to those who do?
"You are putting not only the general public, but the firefighters' lives in danger."
Bexley councillor and LFEPA Chairman Gareth Bacon supports the removal of the engines.
He said: "I do recognise that it's unsettling for the boroughs.
"One of the appliances comes from my own home borough, so I am well aware.
"Other colleagues believe they have an alternative, but it's very much a leap in the dark."
He warned that central government have indicated there will be further budget cuts, meaning the pumps might return to their station for just one year before being taken away again.
Residents have until 5pm on February 1 to respond to the consultation.
Waiting times
In the two years since Erith lost its appliance, waiting times for a second engine increased by one minute and 44 seconds, from 6.15 minutes to 7.59 minutes, across Bexley borough.
The response times in 2014/15, at 7.59 minutes, are just within LFB's eight-minute response window.
Under Erith station, response times for the second appliance went up by a huge two minutes and nine seconds, to 7.15 minutes.
Response times for the first engine also went up by 42 seconds, despite the fact that they had gone down in the year before the pump's removal.
What are your thoughts? Have your say at: josie.griffiths@london.newsquest.co.uk
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