GMFRS volunteers trained up for summer

Wildfires on moorland

A team of eight Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) volunteers have recently completed training to become specialist Wildfire and Water Safety Volunteers as part of this year’s Safe4Summer campaign.

Every year GMFRS attend fires on surrounding moorland areas, as recently seen in one of the busiest periods the service has ever experienced, with hundreds of firefighters and officers responding to multiple wildfires, and carry out water rescues.

The volunteers attended a two-day training course supported and delivered by partners including Rangers from the Peak District National Park. During the two days, the team learnt about water safety, the countryside code, map and compass reading skills and the consequences of wildfires.

The team will also be taking part in first aid and throw line training to enable them to assist members of the public who may have got themselves into difficulty whilst emergency services are on their way.

Once trained, the team of volunteers will patrol areas across Greater Manchester and the surrounding countryside advising the public about the dangers of wildfires and swimming in open water. They will be deployed during hot, dry weather when the risk of both wildfires and people getting into difficulty through entering open water are at their highest.

Other emergencies co-ordinator, Lesley Allen said: “The recruitment and training of this small volunteer team means that as a service we can be more proactive when we receive fire severity index warnings from the Met Office saying that the risk of wildfires is high.

“This capability will support the delivery of our GMFRS Wildfire Plan and the Fire Plans lead by the Peak District National Park Fire Operations Group. The team are really enthusiastic and excited about getting out into the rural areas around Greater Manchester and making a difference.

“The training they received from our partners was excellent and completely new and different for the role of GMFRS volunteers.”