Why is North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue replacing only one water bowser?

The service is replacing only one water bowser to reinvest savings into enhancing rural and wildfire firefighting capabilities.

How will the automatic fire alarm policy change for North Yorkshire?

The policy will change to a 24-hour no-response for automatic alarms unless a fire is confirmed, excluding residential properties.

What lessons did North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue learn from the North York Moors wildfire?

The wildfire highlighted the need for improved rural firefighting resources, better community asset registers, and formal support contracts.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / NYFRS Aligns Resources: Reduced Bowsers for Enhanced Wildfire Response

NYFRS Aligns Resources: Reduced Bowsers for Enhanced Wildfire Response

16 Dec

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Summary

Only one of two water bowsers will be replaced by 2029.
Fire alarm response policy changes to 24-hour no-response unless fire confirmed.
Savings to fund rural and wildfire firefighting improvements.

NYFRS Aligns Resources: Reduced Bowsers for Enhanced Wildfire Response

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) is set to reduce its water bowser fleet, with plans to replace only one of its two existing vehicles between 2025 and 2029. This strategic decision, outlined in the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), will see funds reallocated towards "rural firefighting, wildfire fighting and the provision of water." This initiative aims to bolster the service's capacity to handle incidents similar to the recent, prolonged wildfire on the North York Moors.

The service is also refining its response protocols for automatic fire alarms. Currently, firefighters do not respond to alarms from non-residential locations between 7 AM and 7 PM unless a fire is confirmed. This policy is set to become a 24-hour operation, although it will not affect residential properties. This change aligns NYFRS with a common practice in England, intended to optimize firefighter availability for critical incidents and essential prevention activities.