Innovative firefighting equipment is being rolled out across Kent – from all terrain vehicles to specialist technology which can cut through concrete and rapidly reduce the temperature of building fires.

This is the next phase of a major project to ensure that Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is ready to meet the future needs of the county. The new kit means there is more flexibility, certain incidents can be reached faster and tackled more quickly, and savings can be made by not always having to use a traditional fire engine for every job.

New equipment includes:

A firefighting system which uses a hand held lance that bores aggregate to punch a small hole through a roof or wall. It then switches to a super fine mist that immediately reduces the temperature. This means firefighters can get into the property more quickly and safely to conduct rescues or other firefighting. It uses a fraction of the water of a traditional hose and so generally would cause less damage and save more of the property.
KFS Director of Operational Policy and Resilience, Steve Demetriou, said: “We have traditionally had a ‘one size fits all’ model and used traditional fire engines for every type of incident, but technology and firefighting has moved on. So it makes sense to take advantage of new technology that means we can reach and tackle certain types of incident quicker and at the same time, save money. However we will always need traditional fire engines and in fact, we are investing by buying new models to replace existing engines that have reached the end of their useful life.”

The new firefighting system has already been trialled on an appliance in Margate and has been used on seven occasions since the end of August last year. This included a workshop fire in Doddington where oil and other chemicals were stored. Crews used it to bore a hole into the side of the container to bring down the temperature very quickly and extinguish the fire from the outside, preventing significant environmental damage.

The system will now be used on appliances in Dartford, Thames-side, Maidstone, Medway and Canterbury. KFRS Head of Operational Services, Chris Colgan, says: “The fine mist used by the system can reduce the temperature of the fire by several hundred degrees within seconds and uses a fraction of the water normally needed to fight a fire. It drastically reduces the damage the fire can cause but also helps firefighters by lowering the risk of backdrafts and flashovers, enabling them to enter a building to conduct rescues and further firefighting.”
Land Securities allowed access to a disused quarry, an ideal setting to put the ATV's through their paces and providing invaluable training areas to fire crews.
Lorraine Morrison, Estate Manager for Land Securities said: “We take our corporate responsibilities very seriously; they remain at the heart of all our activity. We were delighted to assist Kent Fire and Rescue Service with their live training exercise and are happy to see the quarry being put to good use.”