Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service ready for summer

07/08/2023

Despite the wet weather upon us, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has been preparing for the summer and the increased demand that hot weather can bring.

July 2022 saw the busiest day on record for CFRS, and while recent weeks haven’t matched those temperatures, the Service has been preparing for every eventuality.

To make sure the Service is ahead of the curve this year, it’s been investing in new additions to the fleet and procuring specialist equipment in the lead up to the summer.

Two 4x4 vehicles have been introduced to the Service’s fleet to support incidents involving large open spaces, like field and crop fires, to help firefighters control the spread faster and reduce loss to the landowner.

The vehicles are designed to rapidly support firefighting in off-road conditions and support the transportation of crew members to reduce the levels of fatigue experienced on such arduous incidents.

With value for money remaining at the forefront, one of these vehicles has been repurposed within the Service, while a second has been procured with this type of incident in mind.

Both vehicles have been fitted with a high-pressure fog unit which carries 200 litres of water and a high-pressure branch. They will also carry beaters and a first aid kit and will be based at on-call stations in the north and south of the county. Outside of the summer season, they can also be used at incidents such as flooding.

Investment has also been made in the equipment carried on our fire engines. Five fog spikes have been procured to assist with tacking rural fires. They provide a fog of water and are now on fire engines based in the more rural fire stations. New dams have also been purchased, which will support water distribution at incidents, and each hold 4500l litres of water.

To support incidents involving farming and agriculture, the Service has invested in new couplings which can attach to water bowsers and help provide water to a scene, which can often be challenging when hydrants aren’t nearby.

That’s not the only investment that’s been made so far this summer. Welfare of colleagues attending incidents is really important. With hot weather and arduous conditions, hydration and keeping cool is essential. New water bottles and cooling towels have been provided to operational crews to support their wellbeing at incidents. The move to metal reusable water bottles also supports the Service’s sustainability agenda.

Speaking about the investment and preparation, Group Commander Simon Thompson commented:

“After a challenging summer last year, we’ve been working hard throughout the year to look at how we can continue to provide the best possible response if we are faced with similar conditions again.

“Thankfully, we haven’t seen the same temperatures this year and we’ve seen more rain, however, we’re now in a great position and have the appropriate fleet and equipment in place to assist our crews in tackling large outdoor fires when they occur.”