Major incident declared as Storm Claudia triggers flooding with companies ‘stretched’
Fire and rescue services are under immense pressure due to complex flooding incidents as Storm Claudia battered much of Britain. A major incident has now been declared
A ‘major incident’ has been declared after relentless Storm Claudia caused flooding and disruption rendering our fire services ‘stretched’.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service declared the major incident in the early hours of Saturday morning (November 15) after Monmouth faced severe and widespread flooding. The flooding has also hit part of the West Midlands, while the UK Health Security Agency has issued a yellow alert for cold weather for large parts of the country.
Firefighters have carried out rescues, evacuations, and welfare checks since 1.30am on Saturday, with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service reporting 82 flood-related incidents overnight.
Authorities worked alongside Gwent Police, the Welsh Ambulance Service, lifeboat and mountain rescue, the coastguard and neighbouring fire and rescue services. Area Manager Matt Jones said: “This is a large-scale incident, and our crews and partners have been working tirelessly through the night and into today [Sunday] to help those affected.
“I want to thank everyone involved for the professionalism and care they continue to show in very difficult circumstances. I would urge the public to avoid the Monmouth area completely.
“The flooding is significant, and we need to keep routes clear to allow emergency services to reach the people who need us most. If you are in immediate danger with threat to life or property, or need urgent assistance, please call 999.”
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) highlighted the immense pressure on fire and rescue services across the country as winter rolls in. Members have reported ‘exceptionally high workloads’ as crews face complex flooding incidents while also managing “years of cuts, reduced fire appliance availability, and limited capacity.”
According to the FBU, since 2010, the fire service lost 20 per cent of its firefighters to cuts, with an additional real-terms cut from central government imposed on the service this year.
Steve Wright, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said that the ‘scale of the response in Monmouth’ shows how important fire services are when disasters hit.
He said: “But it is also clear that services are under huge strain. Our reps are reporting exceptionally busy workloads, made more difficult by the simple reality that there are fewer firefighters and fewer appliances available than there should be.
“Crews are doing everything asked of them and more, but resources are stretched to the limit. This is a reminder of the pressures firefighters face every time severe weather strikes.
“Flooding incidents are increasing, demand is rising, and services are being pushed harder each year, despite having less to work with. Firefighters continue to step up for their communities, but they are doing so under increasingly difficult conditions.”
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