We have 31 main frontline fire appliances and specialist appliances.
Pumping Appliances – Water Tender Ladder
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has 16 Water Tender Ladder Pumping Appliances. This type of appliance has a 13.5 metre ladder and a full range of firefighting and rescue equipment, including various hoses and pumps, cutting and heavy lifting equipment.
Watch Managers are in charge of these appliances which attend more serious incidents and road traffic accidents as well as house fires. All 16 appliances are fitted with CCTV cameras which can record incident footage and can help to protect crew and appliances.
There is one based at each of the following community fire stations in Tyne and Wear –
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Newcastle North Community Fire Station (Gosforth), Newcastle East Community Fire Station (Byker), Newcastle West Community Fire Station (West Denton) and Newcastle South Community Fire Station (Rye Hill).
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North Tyneside East Community Fire Station (North Shields), North Tyneside South Community Fire Station (Wallsend).
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South Tyneside East Community Fire Station (South Shields), South Tyneside West Community Fire Station (Hebburn).
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Sunderland Central Community Fire Station (North Moor Road), Sunderland North Community Fire Station (Fulwell), Sunderland East Community Fire Station (Millfield), Sunderland West Community Fire Station (Washington) and Sunderland South Community Fire Station (Rainton Bridge).
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Gateshead North Community Fire Station (Swalwell), Gateshead East Community Fire Station (Low Fell), and Gateshead South Community Fire Station (Birtley).
Pumping Appliances – Water Tender
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has 15 - Water Tender Pumping Appliances. These appliances are the same as the Water Tender Pumping Appliance’s except they have a shorter ladder and a Crew Manager is in charge of this appliance. They have a 10 metre ladder and a full range of firefighting and rescue equipment. They attend less serious incidents such as rubbish fires and support the Water Tender Pumping Appliances as necessary. On occasions, they could be the first appliance in attendance at large incidents.
There is one based at each of the following community fire stations –
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Newcastle North Community Fire Station (Gosforth), Newcastle East Community Fire Station (Byker), and Newcastle South Community Fire Station (Rye Hill) and Newcastle West Community Fire Station (West Denton).
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North Tyneside East Community Fire Station (North Shields) and North Tyneside South Community Fire Station (Wallsend).
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South Tyneside East Community Fire Station (South Shields) and South Tyneside West Community Fire Station (Hebburn).
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Sunderland Central Community Fire Station (North Moor Road), Sunderland East Community Fire Station (Millfield) and Sunderland West Community Fire Station (Washington).
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Gateshead North Community Fire Station (Swalwell), Gateshead East Community Fire Station (Gateshead), Gateshead South Community Fire Station (Birtley) and Gateshead West Community Fire Station (Chopwell).
SPECIALIST APPLIANCES
Aerial (high reach) Ladder platforms and Turntable Ladder
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has two Aerial Ladder Platforms (ALPs) and one Turntable Ladder (TL). Both have rescue cages whereby firefighters can enter and be lifted up to carry out a rescue safely. They can both reach a height of 30 metres and are usually used to access buildings above third floors. They are particularly useful at incidents involving chimney fires because they are easier, quicker and safer than pitching a roof ladder to climb across a roof. The Service can also use them to launch the fire boat and they can be used as a water tower, with the option of being operated from below.
The ALPs are based at the following community fire stations –
- Sunderland North Community Fire Station (Fulwell)
- Gateshead East Community Fire Station (Low Fell)
The Turntable ladder is based at –
- Newcastle East Community Fire Station (Byker)
Emergency Tender - Rescue equipment and hazardous materials equipment.
This appliance is used as the main Breathing Apparatus (BA) control centre when an incident requires many firefighters to wear BA. It has support equipment, 3 ton fixed and portable winches, hazardous materials equipment air lifting bags and additional larger cutting equipment often used in incidents involving large goods vehicles.
It is used in Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) involving heavy goods vehicles, at chemical incidents, incidents involving hazardous materials and any incident requiring heavy lifting or chainsaws. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has one ET which is based at Newcastle South Community Fire Station in Rye Hill.
Operational Support Unit
The Operational Support Unit (OSU) can support any type of incident. It can be loaded up with foam equipment, reserve hose, some hazardous materials equipment, Flood sacks, additional supportive Breathing Apparatus and can supply fuel to appliances to enable them to work continuously throughout major incidents. The Moffett Mounty Fork Lift Truck on the rear of the Unit is used to load and unload and transport equipment.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has one Operational Support Unit (OSU) which is based at Gateshead East Community Fire Station in Low Fell.
Special Rescue Tender
The Special Rescue Tender (SRT) is used for heavy rescue. It has heavy duty air lifting bags used to lift heavy goods vehicles, thermal arc cutting equipment which can cut through heavy grade steel and concrete used when buildings collapse, salvage equipment, animal rescue, structural collapse equipment and an HIAB crane - this is a smaller crane which sits on the back of an appliance with the ability to deal with up to two tonne lifts, often used to move vehicles or street furniture such as lamp posts involved in RTCs.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has one SRT which is based at South Tyneside West Community Fire Station in Hebburn.
Command Support Unit
The Command Support Unit (CSU) is deployed at major incidents of between five to eight appliances. It is the communications centre at a major incident and has incident management equipment including PC’s and a plasma screen. The unit is used as a meeting point where tactics and decisions are made.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has one CSU which is based at Newcastle West Community Fire Station in West Denton.
Fireboat
The Fireboat has rescue and firefighting capabilities and can deal with any water incident or fire on the quayside. It is moored at the Royal Marine Reserve on the Tyne. It can be lifted out by the Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) and loaded onto a carrier vehicle kept at Newcastle East Community Fire Station in Byker.
New Dimensions
The Service has equipment funded through the New Dimensions programme, which was set up by the Government in 2001, immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. Under this programme, the funded equipment and training enables the Fire and Rescue Service nationally to respond to terrorist incidents, industrial accidents, transport crashes and natural emergencies like flooding and earthquakes. (please refer to the New Dimensions fact sheet for further information).
Replacement Programme
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service is currently undergoing an appliance replacement programme over the next two years. The new appliances will be equipped with the latest advanced firefighting technology, including new rescue lighting and pumping equipment and will be fitted with the latest CCTV equipment, putting the safety of the community and firefighters’ foremost in the design.
Demonstrating the Service’s commitment to sustainability and value for money, the body of the appliance will be fully recyclable, built from innovative lightweight PolyBilt co-polymer plastic. The bodywork can be re-mounted for a second life and will have a lifetime guarantee. The new appliance's engine will also meet stringent environmental standards, reducing polluting emissions by up to 80 percent.
The new digital radio communications equipment, Firelink, will be fitted to all appliances, providing clearer voice communications. It will also give the Service the ability to communicate with other emergency services in the region on the same radio network, which is vital when dealing with major incidents such as severe flooding or industrial accidents. This increases the resilience of the fire and rescue service nationally.
Contact details for more information:
Michelle Atkinson, Corporate Communications Manager, 0191 444 1542 michelle.atkinson@twfire.gov.uk
Lucy Dixon and Nicci Westgarth, Corporate Communications Officers, 0191 444 1513 or corporatecommsofficer@twfire.gov.uk
Julie Knox, Corporate Communications Officer, 0191 444 1725 or julie.knox@twfire.gov.uk
Website – www.twfire.gov.uk
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