London Fire Brigade Museum under threat

Brian Coleman states "We are a Fire And Rescue Service". Wrong! he is an elected member of the GLA who just happens to be the 'Chairman' of LFEPA. The people who are the Fire and Rescue service are those Men and Women who knowingly risk life limb and disability to sort out the daily problems and disasters that life throws at Londoners daily. Their support group of Control, Technical and Admin staff are equally vital without whom the organisation can not function. The LFB could function very well without Mr Coleman's pompous and irrelavant presence.
His remarks about the LFB museum show that he knows and cares little about the Brigade. That museum celebrates the history of fire-fighting in London (Which has functioned for hundreds of years despite political meddling) and the men and women who have made sacrifices (sometimes ,ultimate) and it does so at a miniscule cost.
Mr Coleman should concentrate his efforts on allowing the LFB to do its job with the minimum of involvement by politicians and leave them to sort out how they want to run it. They are the proffessionals not him.

My grandchildren adored their visit to the museum and I shall be really sorry if it packs up. It's charming, and they want to go again when they come next year! I think it's a lovely building and a fascinating exhibition. Disgusting that the philistines want to close everything.

Taxi for Mr Coleman, please.

I've been to the museum as well and wholeheartedly agree that it's much better value for money than certain London Assembly members. Mr Coleman could surely look much closer to home if he wants to find 5-figure savings for London council taxpayers.

How sad and how ill informed it was of Brian Coleman, Fire Authority Chairman, when referring to the London Fire Brigade Museum in Southwark, that 'when you've seen one brass helmet you have seen them all'. To quote a beer advert, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) is
> probably the best fire brigade in the world with a rich fire fighting heritage going back to Roman times. The men and women of the LFB have served the capital with pride over centuries, some making the ultimate sacrifice. With this pride the brigade shares such history for London residents and visitors alike through the museum. To close the museum without finding a different solution for funding would be tragic and a smack in the face for all firefighters who give so much to the people they serve and deprive citizens of their history too.
With such high spending in other areas, the running costs for the museum in the grand scheme of things are low, but the benefits are high.
What about asking the people of London's communities what they think about their fire brigade and if spending £84k is an acceptable amount to spend to preserve such history?

A petition has been launched:
http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/3527

Presumably, following the consolidation of their HQ into the new premises on Union Street, the LFB has plans to sell off the wider site, including the building containing the museum.

There is a separate question of what will be the developer be able to do with the listed ground floor space in the former Fire Brigade HQ on Albert Embankment that contains the memorial hall to firefighters who lost their lives.

Is there an argument for the LFB looking at doing a deal to move the museum into the Albert Embankment building?

Brian Coleman aka Mr Toad has GOT to go!:

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24061317432

MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/mr_toad_has_got_to_go

Latest from Thursday's fire authority meeting:
http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/3620

This looks like good news...