In order to maintain a first class service County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) carried out an overall review of their staffing arrangements. This report recommended introducing a new Day Crewing Plus (DCP) system into use being one of the first examples of this arrangement to be used in the country. The concept of the Day Crewing Plus scheme is to provide residential accommodation for the Fire Watches on call in the adjacent fire station. The scheme has been designed to enable the family of the individual watch officers to also stay in the building when required and deemed suitable. The proposed DCP Schemes have en-suite bedrooms and a suitably sized living space for the accommodation.
At Seaham the building is two storey which responds to the adjacent terraced street pattern. At Newton Aycliffe the building forms a protected external social space.
