Flooding rescue role highlighted

Fire service water rescue training.

More frequent flooding incidents have prompted the fire service to highlight its increasing rescue work.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said that as well as equipment to move water, they are able to rescue humans and livestock.

The service has rescued more than 100 people trapped as a result of flooding in the past four years.

The equipment and skills were on display at Llanrwst, Conwy, which suffered serve floods in 2004 and 2005.

"The public in north Wales may not be aware of what we have available for working with, on, in or near water," said Steve Neale, a group manager with the fire service.

"The purpose of this today is to raise awareness of our capabilities in the event of emergencies in or around water," he added.

Mr Neale said there were three main areas which had been enhanced.

Pumping out small amounts of water, dealing with vast volumes of water and also rescues from fast-moving water for both people and livestock such as cattle.

"Ours was one of the first crews into Gloucester and Doncaster when they suffered floods last year," he said.

The fire service wanted to let people know how they could help.

"For those who remember the Towyn floods (in 1990) they would have been massively better off with the equipment and training we have now," he added.

There were four units equipped to deal with floods in the region, at Bangor, Betws-y-Coed, Deeside, and Ruthin, as well as a specialist crew working from Llandudno.

Colin Hanks, deputy chief fire officer, said they were able to move 7,000 litres of water a minute.

"If we are unfortunate enough to have a flooding incident then we can deal with it," he added.

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