Wednesday 26
March
00.01hrs
The shoreline of Weston-super-Mare is set to gain extra
protection following the unveiling of Avon Fire & Rescue
Service’s (AF&RS) new hovercraft.
Chair of Avon Fire Authority Councillor Terry Walker and Avon
Fire & Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive
Kevin Pearson, will be joined by senior fire officers, councillors
and local dignitaries for the event on Wednesday 26 March at
Weston-super-Mare Fire Station at 11am.
The hovercraft, which will cover an area of the shoreline from
Brean Down to Sand Bay, is equipped to deal with a range of
incidents including rescuing people who have became trapped in the
mud and providing support to the area during times of inland
flooding.
Watch Manager at Weston-super-Mare Fire Station Pete Coombs has
been leading the project to bring a hovercraft to the area and is
currently involved in training crews to use the vessel. This should
be completed by the end of June, when the hovercraft is expected to
be in full operation, in time for the busy summer season.
Avon Fire & Rescue Service’s hovercraft will be used to
complement the services already provided by the Royal National
Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) and HMS Coastguard.
AF&RS Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive, Kevin Pearson,
described the hovercraft as a major asset to the service.
He said: “The hovercraft will increase the flexibility of Avon
Fire & Rescue Service’s rescue capacity. As well as assisting
us with incidents along the shoreline, we will be able to use the
vehicle in more remote locations, where fire appliances may not be
able to reach.
“Not only will it mean we can reach trapped casualties in just a
few minutes, but it will also ensure the safety of our
firefighters, who until now have had to walk out onto the mud and
risk becoming stuck themselves.”
“Clearly with the flooding we saw last summer a hovercraft would
have been a huge asset on inland waterways, but we also believe the
hovercraft could be used to ferry equipment and staff to incidents
such as animal rescues on soft ground or road traffic collisions
that may involve a beach. “