Gloucestershire gets new rapid response water rescue centre

A new water rescue centre in Gloucestershire will enable rescue teams to attend incidents anywhere in the county within 30 minutes, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) said.

The centre at Moreton Fire Station "completes the provision of strategically-placed water rescue teams in Gloucestershire".

The need for such a facility was highlighted in the service's Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP) and DEFRA provided £56,000 funding for it.

The IRMP advised an improved water rescue response was necessary in the event of further major flooding in the area.

A similar centre was set up at Tewkesbury Fire Station in 2011.

Deputy chief fire officer Geoff Sallis said: "Since the floods in 2007, we have significantly increased the number of swift water rescue technicians located around the county."

Firefighters have completed specialist water and mud rescue training and now have technical rescue equipment designed to perform rescues from water.

The water response team is also trained to support the large animal rescue team and to work alongside the rescue boats and the GFRS hovercraft.