May 19, 2014 1.58 pm This story is over 118 months old

Lincolnshire flood response team deployed to the Balkans

Flood response deployed: A Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue team has been deployed to assist with serious flooding in the Balkans.

Personnel from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue’s International Search and Rescue (ISAR) team have been deployed to assist with serious flooding in the Balkans.

The seven Lincolnshire personnel will form part of the UK ISAR Flood Response force to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The team is made up of Simon York (Team Leader), Dave Philips, Chris Jefferson, Chris Lowe, Ash Hildred, John Crowder and Alun Roberts.

They join 33 firefighters from Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Hampshire, Merseyside, West Midlands, Mid and West Wales and West Sussex who flew from Manchester along with rescue equipment including four rigid inflatable boats and engines.

When deployed the firefighters will be self-sufficient for up to 10 days and operate four powered rescue boat teams, 24 hours a day, in support of the affected communities.

At least 44 people are known to have died as a result of the flooding across Bosnia and Serbia, with death tolls expected to rise.