Firefighters in West Yorkshire called to record number of incidents not involving fires

The Fire Brigades Union said it has seen a surge in widespread flooding nationally, as crews “battle the sharp end of climate change”.

Home Office data shows West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service responded to 4,470 non-fire incidents in 2019-20. That was a 49 per cent increase on the 2,994 attended in 2018-19, and the highest number since comparable records began a decade earlier. Meanwhile, firefighters were called to 8,906 fires last year – down 29 per cent on the year before.

Non-fire incidents are classed as anything other than fires and false alarms, including flooding incidents, road traffic collisions, animal assistance as well as suicide attempts, people being stranded, trapped, impaled and dealing with hazardous substances among others.

Across England and Wales, fire crews responded to 172,000 incidents of this kind in 2019-20, with the increase being driven by crews attending more flooding and multi-agency incidents, which involve other emergency services.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to 23,361 incidents last year in total, with fires making up just 38 per cent of these.

An agreement reached in March allowed firefighters to drive ambulances and deliver vital supplies to the elderly and vulnerable as the coronavirus crisis took hold. It was extended in June, meaning such activity will continue until at least the end of September.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “Firefighters have always taken on a range of non-fire work and can be proud of stepping up during the coronavirus pandemic, all while still responding to fires and other emergencies.”