Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue showed off its new engines and equipment after £8 million of investment from the county council, which will help increase the speed that crews can deal with incidents.
A fleet of 33 new appliances – the latest generation of Scania truck chassis – will be sent out to fire stations in the county over the next two years at a rate of around two vehicles a month. Each fire engine costs around £240,000.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
It has improved safety and handling and reduced emissions. The first fire engine will be on the run from September 27 and will be based at Donington.
By the end of the year the stations at Donington, Caistor, Mablethorpe, Kirton, Holbeach and Brant Broughton will have taken delivery of the new fire engines.
A fleet of 33 new appliances will be sent out to fire stations in the county over the next two years. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The new appliances replace the current fire engines, which are around 12-14 years old and coming towards the end of their working life.
The new fire engines are capable of carrying 1800 litres of water on-board compared with 1400 litres on the older appliances.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A broader spectrum of rescuing equipment will also be available and the changes will help improve the safety and welfare of the firefighters.
The fire service carried out demonstrations of Coldcut Cobra and the Holmatro cutting equipment used at road traffic collisions at its training base in Waddington on Thursday.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The new equipment includes:
Hilti impact driver (demo)
Halligan tool used for entering premises, removing padlocks etc
Tirfor winch (portable)
6m roof ladder on the engine and 9m ladders
22m hose reel with variable branch
The Coldcut Cobra equipment has already been in use on 23 fire engines and it will be added to the 16 new appliances being rolled out.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The Coldcut Cobra is an ultra high pressure system where iron filings, containing water, travel through walls at 400 miles per hour from the nozzle, meaning firefighters can tackle fires from outside buildings. The iron filings can cut through metal and up to 11 inches of concrete.
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
The new fire engines and equipment will help crews access fires quicker and allows them to work in a safer environment. It will also ensure that all 38 stations in Lincolnshire will have the Cobra equipment fitted.
Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue Station Manager Matt Perrin and Group Manager Dave Hopkins. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Dave Hopkins, Group Manager at Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, told The Lincolnite: “I think the great thing, and it really is around the investment from the county council, is the decision was taken that wherever you live in Lincolnshire you have the same level of fire cover and equipment available to you.
“It means you’re getting the standardised service at the best levels right the way across the county. I’m fortunate in that I do get to travel around the country and the investment in the Fire & Rescue service by Lincolnshire County Council is second to none.”
Councillor Lindsey Cawrey and Councillor Nick Worth, Executive Member for fire & rescue services at Lincolnshire County Council. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Councillor Nick Worth, Executive Member for Fire & Rescue Services at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The equipment on the new fire engines is the best anywhere in the UK and I can say that with some confidence having spoken with a number of authorities across the country.”
This is the latest boost to Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue after fire and ambulance crews moved into a brand new £21 million emergency services station on South Park this summer. Police will move in this autumn when it will become the first tri-service operational station in the country.
Fireman Sam reflection
The fire service is scrapping Fireman Sam. Photo: Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue
On the issue, Councillor Worth said: “The fire service here has changed a lot over the last few years. We have some highly qualified and extremely well trained female firefighters, but we’re trying to get a diverse workforce and we’re leading among the UK in doing that.
“We have on average more female firefighters in Lincolnshire than the national average.
“We don’t have a mascot, we never have had mascots and I think the firefighter Sam doesn’t align with our modern day practices.”
Spotted an error? Please notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Phase two of the works at Speakers’ Corner in Lincoln is well underway and expected to finish on schedule this summer.
Phase two, which began on Monday, January 11, will see existing paving upgraded, as well as new street furniture being installed.
It will follow the first phase which was completed and open to the public on December 22, with a new bench put in place around the existing London Plane tree, instead of the demolished kiosk.
Speakers Corner bench is in place, but closed off until phase two paving works are finished. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Site setup for phase two is complete, with workers on site currently digging out the existing hard paving standings at the Cornhill.
A large portion of the area has been fenced off while work takes place, leaving just two pedestrian strips on either side to access both the High Street and the Cornhill Quarter.
There is limited access in the area while works take place. | Photo: The Lincolnite
Despite the cold and wet weather throughout January, progress of the paving removal has not been affected.
This means that phase two works are still on course to be finished in summer this year.
It is hoped that once the area is completed, the walkways will blend in with those at Exchange Square, as well as utilising the space for events.
A look at how the finished development will look. | Illustration: City of Lincoln Council
Bin collections in Boston and in parts of East Lindsey will be suspended for the rest of the week due to COVID-related staff absences.
The collections will be suspended from Wednesday, January 27 as a number of East Lindsey District Council’s and Boston Borough Council’s waste crews either have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
Boston Borough Council and East Lindsey District Council said it is not a decision that has been taken lightly and it is necessary for the service to be suspended in some southern parts of the district until Monday, February 1.
From Monday, waste collections are expected to continue as normal.
Households impacted by the disruption can present any accumulated side waste in black refuse sacks alongside their black bins on their next scheduled bin collection.
The following areas are affected:
Boston
Friskney
Eastville
New Leake
Stickford
Coningsby (part)
Coningsby Moorside
Dalderby
Haltham
Mareham Le Fen
Moorby
N Bolingbroke
Revesby
Scrivelsby
Tumby
Tumby Moorside
Tumby Woodside
Wilksby
Wood Enderby
Carrington
Dogdyke
Frithville
Gypsey Bridge
New Bolingbroke
New York
Scrub Hill
Thornton Le Fen
Westville
Antons Gowt
Cowbridge
Fishtoft
Frithville
Langrick
Sibsey
East Keal
East Kirkby
Hagnaby
Keal Coates
Midville
Stickney
Toynton All Saints
West Keal
Victoria Burgess, Assistant Director for Operations at the council, said: “Over the past couple of days it has proved a real challenge to keep the service going with a number of rounds having not been completed due to staff absences.
“With more crews off again today we needed to take action now and suspending the service is the only realistic option available to us to keep everyone safe – something we’ve worked hard to avoid.
“Our workforce has done an amazing job over the past year and they’ve received much praise from the community and are grateful for your continued good wishes.”
Meanwhile, Lincolnshire County Council has agreed to extend their open days at the Household Recycling Centre on Bittern Way for the disposal of black-bagged general waste and recycling only.
The two extra days of opening are Wednesday and Thursday of this week and next, between the hours of 8am and 4pm.
Over 6,000 people living in and around the Scunthorpe have signed up to donate convalescent plasma after having coronavirus.
This comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is appealing for more potential plasma donors ahead of an upcoming third trial.
Convalescent plasma is the antibody-rich plasma of people who’ve had coronavirus. This can be transfused into people who are struggling to develop their own immune response.
NHSBT wants more people in the area hitting the 28-day recovery mark to sign up.
Over 30 donations have so far been taken at the Scunthorpe donor centre at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road, which opened in December last year.
People can register to donate online here and can donate 28 days after they’ve recovered from coronavirus.
The Lincolnshire centre is located at Berkeley House at Berkeley Business Centre on Doncaster Road in Scunthorpe. | Photo: NHSBT
NHSBT is collecting the plasma for new trials for older people or those with cancer to treat them early in the course of the infection.
Two earlier trials have now stopped for data analysis. The upcoming third trial’s focus will be on those with low immune systems and all donations are tested for COVID antibodies.
The NHS trials of convalescent plasma are the largest randomised controlled trials for this treatment of COVID-19.
Professor Dave Roberts, Associate Medical Director for Blood Donation at NHSBT, said: “More people than ever are now able to help – the time to donate is now.
“We especially need donations from people in Scunthorpe who’ve had hospital care. Men who had hospital care are around six times more likely to have the high antibody levels which might save lives.
“We have completed two trials and analysis is ongoing. We now need to collect plasma for further planned clinical studies. We’re particularly looking at high risk groups such as the elderly and people with cancer.
“Donations are vital to the ongoing lifesaving research, which gives us a better understanding of how we can best treat patients with COVID-19 and help prevent deaths in the future.”
Whatsapp
