A FIREFIGHTERS’ union last night warned sharing an emergency control centre with Berkshire could have “disastrous” results.

Oxfordshire County Council is looking at creating a shared control room with the neighbouring fire and rescue service in a location yet to be decided.

But Rachel Dobson, spokesman for the Oxfordshire branch of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), yesterday said staff numbers could be slashed in half – leading to increased pressure and workload for workers.

She said: “Ultimately this would mean less time dedicated to each call and unanswered calls ending end up in a queue during peak times – this is not acceptable for an emergency service.

“Fire can spread in minutes and smoke can kill in seconds. A joint control room serving two counties with less staff cannot process 999 calls as effectively as the two existing ones in Oxfordshire and Berkshire currently do.

“Any delay in taking a call could have disastrous results.

“The FBU urges that this project is abandoned.”

She also said control centre staff should have local knowledge.

But Judith Heathcoat, cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, decided to continue to look into the move on Monday.

She said: “We value our staff and commend them on the effective service they currently provide. We will ensure any future arrangement is right for the Fire and Rescue Service and for the public.”

The council also said no decision on staff numbers had been made.

Oxfordshire and Berkshire bid for £3.6m of Government funding in November and is expecting to hear the outcome this month.

The business case for the move will be presented to the council in July when a final decision could be made.

Plans to create a centre for the Thames Valley by 2015 collapsed last October when Buckingham-shire and Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Authority decided to have its emergency calls handled in Cambridgeshire.