New specialist fire service vehicles for Norfolk

Two new state-of-the-art specialist vehicles are being delivered into Norfolk later this month, leading the way in technology and ability across the fire and rescue sector in the UK. 

The water and foam carriers can hold and pump 13,500L of water, 1,500L of foam concentrate, making them among the largest and most capable vehicles with specialist equipment to enhance firefighting operations. 

Built by Emergency One in Scotland, the cost of the two water carriers is £850,000 and replace two ageing and smaller carriers which are 23 and 24 years old. 

Chief Fire Officer Ceri Sumner said: "Our existing carriers at Fakenham and Hethersett have reached the end of their life. These new vehicles are sector-leading and will be invaluable to us in supplying large quantities of water and foam to bring significant fires under control quickly and skilfully." 

Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships at Norfolk County Council, Councillor Margaret Dewsbury, said "This significant investment in Norfolk's firefighting operations enhances our fire service's response during emergencies, helping them to ensure the safety of our communities across Norfolk." 

Among the features are: 

• A Godiva 4010 pump with SAMFLOW control. This allows supplies of foam and water to be delivered from different outlets at different water pressures simultaneously. For example, the pump could supply our Aerial Ladder Platform with water at the same time as supplying a firefighter held branch at a lower pressure, ensuring the safety of the staff member by delivering at the appropriate pressure. Standard fire engines are only able to deliver to different outlets at the same water pressure.
• Two 5,000 litre inflatable hex-dams per vehicle, for supporting complex water management plans on the incident ground. These enable crews to build two pop-up dams for large incidents, ensuring that further water is available for fire appliances even after the water carrier has been deployed to a further job. This feature is particularly helpful in prolonged heatwaves as water can be pumped from the dam while the water carrier can go to the next incident to deliver further water supplies.
• A four-seater cab in each water carrier. Currently, one of the existing carriers has only a 2 seater cab.

With testing now complete, the new water carriers are due to roll into Norfolk by Christmas. Crews from Fakenham and Hethersett will then be trained on how to use the specialist equipment and also complete additional driver training to familiarise themselves with the vehicles.

The vehicles were built by Emergency One in Scotland, to specifications designed and agreed with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service's fleet specialists.

Brian Girvan, Production Director at Emergency One, said: "We're really proud of this build. It's the largest water carrier we've ever produced, and our team put a huge amount of care into every detail. Working with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service on this project has been a pleasure, and we're delighted to deliver a vehicle that will make a real difference out on the incident ground."