23/11/2007 - Kendal fire station's heavy mob just got heavier

Kendal firefighters will soon take delivery of more specialist equipment to help tackle major fires or floods.

An additional heavy transport vehicle, which can carry the county’s special high volume pump and wide-gauge hose layer, is to be based in the town.

One vehicle is already there and the arrival of a second one will enable firefighters to deploy both pieces of specialist equipment to major incidents in any part of the county or country at the same time.

The high volume pump, which weighs the same as six family cars, is used to pump large volumes of water on to a major fire or away from a flooded area.

Kendal’s existing heavy transport vehicle and pump were used earlier this year to protect a power station threatened by flooding in Gloucetershire.

The extra vehicle is part of a contingent of 48 with a total value of £7 million which the government is distributing to Fire and Rescue Services across the country.

Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer Alan Rawsthorne, said: "The arrival of this additional specialist vehicle will enable us to respond more quickly to large-scale incidents.

"We have regular and retained firefighters in Kendal who are trained to operate this equipment and deploy it to any part of the county.

"As we saw earlier this year during the East Midlands floods, the equipment also forms part of an important strategic national resource which other parts of the country can call upon."

ENDS

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