Prevention: GFRS supports the aims and objectives of the UK National Drowning Prevention Strategy working closely with partner agencies, the Service carries out regular prevention activities through awareness raising activities, providing specific advice, and regularly supports national campaigns across social media, press and radio. Education about water safety takes place in SkillZONE for children of school age. Operational crews and the community safety team take part in summer campaigns, working in collaboration where possible at planned events.
Response: We are equipped with specific assets to support water-related operations, including:
In addition to this every fire engine is equipped and trained to provide rescue and pumping at a flooding incident. We collaborate with multiple agencies and government departments, including the Environment Agency, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA), and the LRF to provide advice, develop emergency plans, and make use of specialist skills to deliver effective responses to incidents. As a key collaborative partner SARA share space at strategic locations to support our response to water-based incidents. Consequences of climate change are becoming a reality, specifically warmer and wetter winters, and hotter, drier summers with more frequent and intense rainfall.
Consequences of climate change are becoming a reality, specifically warmer and wetter winters, and hotter, drier summers with more frequent and intense rainfall.
This is likely to result in: increased frequency of flooding, increased flood risk in urban areas, increased flood risk to property in some areas, increase risk of soil erosion and run-off from agricultural land leading to increase local flood risk and harm to water quality, river/coastal flooding and landslip threats, and changes in sea level will affect tidal ranges as well as storm surges with the Severn Estuary running through the centre of the county.
The reasons behind instances of flooding are both complicated and often localised. Change in local rainfall patterns does not necessarily equate to an increase in the intensity, extent and harmfulness of flooding.
Contributory factors can affect the severity of flooding can include (but are not limited to): land management, flood defences, population dynamics, tidal influences, geography, infrastructure, as well as other physical processes.
We collaborate with multiple agencies and government departments... to provide advice, develop emergency plans, and make use of specialist skills to deliver effective responses to incidents.