Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue will have one of the UK's largest flood rescue capabilities when they increase their number of water rescue teams from one to ten next month.

The ten fully-equipped boats and more than 60 specialist firefighters will be available from the end of March in an effort to combat what Lincolnshire County Council's Steve Pembroke called "the second highest threat facing the country".

LCC helped fund purchase the new equipment with £250,000 they were awarded as part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Flood Rescue Grant Scheme last year.

Executive councillor for community safety Peter Robinson said: "Flooding, especially from the sea, has been identified as a key risk for Lincolnshire and this extra resource will give us significantly more capacity and expertise to help people should a flood occur.

"Building on the water rescue resources we have now, and those of our partner organisations, we will be better prepared to assist in both local and national flood responses."

The new craft will be based at fire stations across the county and be deployed in the event of a major flood as well as used to carry out search and rescue operations across Lincolnshire.

For more information on flooding grants visit www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/funding 

Posted 15/02/2012 by richard.hook@pavpub.com