A FIRE call-out of a different sort is being activated for all crew members who have worked at Newton Abbot’s Balls Corner station over the last 45 years.

Station manager Rob Cude is compiling a Roll of Honour for all firefighters on call at the venue since it opened in 1972.

So far he has collected the names of 86 current and former firefighters who have responded to 999 shouts during the period.

He is anxious that no one is left out – but if they have not heard from him recently he would like to hear from them so they are not excluded from honourable mention on the proposed plaque to be housed at the premises.

It’s hoped his plans for recording the service of colleagues past and present will be complete by the time of a special anniversary celebration at the station on Monday, October 23 at 7pm.

In attendance will be fire authority chairman Sara Randall Johnson and Devon and Somerset’s assistant fire chief Glenn Askew.

Rob has been slowly but surely tracking down all those directly connected with the edge-of-town station.

‘If there is anyone who has not heard from me, I would like them to call me so that everyone is included,’ said Rob.

Some 21 crew members are currently working out of Newton Abbot. About a dozen firefighters linked to the station over the anniversary period have passed on.

Anyone who thinks they may have been overlooked should contact Rob on 07747 620716.

Plans to commemorate the town’s firefighters were unveiled at Wednesday night’s meeting of Newton Abbot Town Council.

Rob said: ‘As part of my Facebook work I started to compile a list of all those people who have been retained at Newton Abbot since it opened at Balls Corner. I then realised that the station opened in Oct 1972.

‘So now it has snowballed into inviting as many current and former members to the station for a reunion. I have contacted quite a few people so far, but if there are any firefighters who have been retained at the station and haven’t been contacted they should get in touch with me.’