The Co-operative sponsors Fire Service's new post incident vehicle

Phil Willsmer, Director of Group Risk Services, The Co-operative Group, and Wayne Shields, Head of Prevention at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, with the new PIT vehicle

The Co-operative Group is sponsoring Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s (GMFRS) new Post Incident Team (PIT) vehicle, which helps people get their lives back to normal following a fire.

The vehicle is staffed by GMFRS volunteers, who work with fire-fighters to help residents clear up after a fire. They help people clear their properties, or clean up and remove debris or water from their homes.

Phil Willsmer, Director of Group Risk Services, The Co-operative Group, said: “The stark reality of how a serious fire can devastate the lives of people, and the magnitude of what is involved in cleaning up after a fire, prompted our decision to enter into a partnership with GMFRS.

“The Co-operative is committed to supporting the local communities in which we operate, and we want to help the most vulnerable people in our communities, in their time of need, through the fantastic work carried out by the volunteers in the PIT team.”

GMFRS is the second largest fire service in the country, which responded to 30,000 emergencies on 2013/14. It covers an area of approximately 500 square miles, including Rochdale, Manchester, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.