
An £8m investment is set to make local firefighters among the best-equipped and best-protected in the country.
As well as 33 new Scania fire appliances being rolled out across the county, fire crews will have state-of-the-art “Coldcut Cobra” units.
These ultra-high-pressure cutting extinguishers allow fires to be tackled from the outside of buildings and other enclosed spaces.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue group manager Dave Hopkins said: “This equipment enables us to be more effective in fighting fires, with the situation more quickly controlled. That leads to a drastic reduction in water damage to homes.
“Most importantly, it will keep our firefighters safer because they can control the temperature before they enter a building. It has more than delivered on what we expected and will certainly save lives.”
Chief fire officer Les Britzman added: “It’s taken around three years to update the equipment available to Lincolnshire firefighters.
“They now have every bit of kit we could fit in the new fire engines to help carry out what can be a very difficult job. The men and women of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are now among the best-equipped in the UK.
“It’s a big investment, but the fire service has always been a priority for the council. When you see the individual pieces of equipment and what they can do in an emergency, it brings home what a difference they will make to our communities.”
Literally “cutting edge”
The Coldcut Cobra system emits a mixture of water and iron filings through a special nozzle at around 400mph. The material can cut through walls, steel and concrete up to 11in thick, leaving tiny holes.
The cutting agent is then turned off before a fine mist of water is released directly onto fires. This significantly reduces the temperature around a fire without the need to enter the building, allowing firefighters to gain entry more quickly and safely.
Because the hole created is so small, no oxygen reaches the fire, significantly helping efforts to extinguish it. All 38 stations in the county will soon have access to this life-saving equipment.
Top safety features
The new Scania fire appliances boast:
- A reduced carbon footprint through lower emissions
- Wider hose reels, increasing water flow capacity
- Longer roof ladders (6m)
- Additional road traffic collision equipment for rescues from difficult places
- Distinctive community safety messaging on the sides
The new vehicles will also carry equipment providing on-board charging for handheld radios, as well as thermal-imaging cameras and torches