Four fire engines have been deployed at fire stations in Royal Berkshire, as part of ongoing investment by the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority.
Bracknell, Ascot, and Wokingham Road (in Reading) are the latest fire stations to receive a new Volvo fire engine, as part of a joint procurement process project between Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS), Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes, and Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service.
Upgrading to new engines
The Volvo fire engine previously based at Langley Fire Station has also been replaced, with the previous vehicle now being used for training and firefighter development. The addition of these four new fire engines means that all wholetime fire stations in Berkshire have a Volvo fire engine to serve their local communities.
The official handover of the new fire engines took place in line with COVID guidelines at Wokingham Road on Friday, 14 May, and Bracknell and Ascot on Friday, 21 May. At Bracknell, the handover took place alongside James Sunderland MP, Member of Parliament for Bracknell, and at Ascot alongside Adam Afriyie MP, Member of Parliament for Windsor.
New improved vehicles
The new fire engines have been purchased as part of the Fire Authority’s Strategic Assets Investment Framework
The new fire engines have been purchased as part of the Fire Authority’s Strategic Assets Investment Framework, which sets out how the authority will maintain and renew the vital capital assets necessary to support the services delivered by RBFRS.
During the handover of the new vehicles, Councillor Angus Ross, Strategic Asset Lead Member for Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, said, “I am delighted to officially unveil the latest additions to the RBFRS fleet, to be based at Ascot, Bracknell, and Wokingham Road Fire Stations.”
“It gives me immense pride that following a successful joint procurement process with our Thames Valley partners, the entire whole time fleet in Royal Berkshire has now been upgraded to the new vehicle. These new fire engines offer a wide range of improvements and better equip our firefighters to serve the people of Royal Berkshire."
Ensuring a swift and effective response
Councillor Colin Dudley, Chairman of Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, said, “One of the Fire Authority’s Strategic Commitments is to ensure a swift and effective response when called to emergencies.”
“As part of our Strategic Asset Investment Framework, we continue to invest in vital assets that benefit the community. The Fire Authority has prioritized investing in frontline fire appliances, recognizing the importance of providing fit for purpose equipment to support the services provided by a modern fire and rescue service.”
Features of the new fire engines
The new fire engines are part of a program to update the Service’s fleet with state-of-the-art vehicles The new fire engines have been built by Emergency One (UK) Ltd on Volvo FL 42R chassis, and are part of a program to update the Service’s fleet with state-of-the-art vehicles, incorporating the latest technology.
They offer a range of improved capabilities for firefighters serving the communities of Royal Berkshire, including:
- Larger hose reels that enable water to be delivered more quickly to extinguish fires;
- Battery-powered rescue equipment, primarily for use at road traffic incidents. This is easier to carry and less bulky than hydraulic equipment, less hazardous, and removes generator noise from rescue situations.
- The equipment is also much quicker to deploy, reducing the time to access and rescue people who are trapped and injured.
- Improved mobile lighting for better visibility at the scene of an incident.
- The fire engines will include a standardized inventory across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire – making it easier for our firefighters to ensure a swift and effective response when called to emergencies where two Services are in attendance.
