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23 July 2007
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service this morning deployed a crew of firefighters from Stanningley Fire Station in Leeds to assist with the flood relief operation in Gloucestershire.
An emergency request was made in the early hours of this morning via the National Co-ordination Centre for assistance. Stanningley Green Watch and a senior fire and rescue officer were mobilised to Gloucester Fire Station at 3.26am, taking equipment capable of pumping seven tonnes of water per minute. From there the equipment was committed to priority operations by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, who are using crews and equipment from all over the country to deal with the rising water.
Ian Gilchrist, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Senior Operations Manager, said: “The specialist high volume pumping equipment is available to be used anywhere in the country, but it has to be operated by trained crews, and when the call came in the early hours of this morning our firefighters were eager to get on the road to help out.
“Of course we do not forget about the people those crews usually serve, and while the crews are away, a fire engine and crew from the Bradford area has been assigned to Stanningley Fire Station to ensure business as usual.”
Because West Yorkshire’s response had to be made at short notice, the crew who accompanied the equipment will be brought home later today and replaced by a crew of eight firefighters from Stanningley White Watch. They are expected to stay for the next two days. Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service will accommodate them near the scene of operations.
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For further information contact Kelly Thornham on 01274 655807 or Hannah Stoneman on 01274 655876.