Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue to invest £4.4m in new fire engines and equipment
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is set to invest an extra £4.4 million in new fire engines, equipment and modernised procedures.
The funding has been approved to help the service update its fleet and improve the tools available to firefighters responding to emergencies across the county.
A major part of the investment will see nine brand new fire engines brought into service over the next two years. There is also a longer-term ambition to secure a further nine vehicles by 2030.
The new appliances will gradually replace older fire engines currently in use. They are described as a key part of the service’s emergency response, attending the majority of incidents including house fires, road traffic collisions and water rescues.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue says the updated fleet will help ensure crews have access to reliable, modern equipment, allowing them to respond quickly and effectively when communities need them most.
The new vehicles will also be designed with flexibility in mind, fitted with the latest firefighting technology and able to adapt to future risks and innovations.
Mark Baxter, Chief Fire Officer, said: “These nine new appliances will be designed to adapt and evolve alongside the risks that our communities face and will enable our crews to minimise unnecessary contact with contaminates.
“So, as well as improving reliability and resilience, this investment will help to better protect our crews from risk, and future-proof our response capabilities for years to come.”
Cllr Alex McGonigle, executive councillor for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said the investment comes at the right time, as older vehicles become more expensive to maintain.
He said: “We’re seeing rising maintenance costs as our older vehicles increasingly need more servicing and repairs.
“This investment will help us save money in the long-term, and enable our crews to continue responding quickly and effectively when our communities need us the most.”
The service is also exploring the use of newer battery-powered fire and rescue equipment to replace older kit.
This could help reduce reliance on traditional fuels, particularly for hydraulic cutting and spreading equipment, where costs have recently been unpredictable.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue says battery-powered equipment also offers design improvements, making it more comfortable and easier for crews to operate at serious incidents.