A NEW collaborative project is set to see increased alignment between firefighters in Thames Valley.
Firefighters in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire are now using the same breathing apparatus following the culmination of a three-year project.
The Thames Valley Breathing Apparatus project delivered a combined investment in breathing supplies, marking £1.7 million in support and procurement between the three services.
More than 4,000 items of new equipment were delivered to the 60 fire stations in the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire.
The services will also be the first in the UK to use new technology through new control boards.
The new boards feature telemetry-enabled controls, which means apparatus can be used to monitor the welfare of firefighters wearing it.
They’ll also be provided with new personal issue facemasks using chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear-certified material, and 9-litre, 300-bar pressure air cylinders.
Apparatus is also bluetooth-enabled, meaning users can communicate clearly with each other as well as others on the scene and officers outside of the scene.
Firefighters in Berkshire were the first to use the apparatus, beginning in March last year, before it was rolled out in Buckinghamshire in April, and in Oxfordshire in July.
It is part of a wider scheme to encourage interoperability between services when dealing with incidents on the ground.
Rob Read, Group Manager for Research and Equipment, said: “It is essential that our firefighters are well equipped when facing the wide range of scenarios they may experience when responding to incidents.
“Any firefighter will tell you how important breathing apparatus sets are – so we made it a priority to bring in new equipment with the latest technology to enable them to continue to safely respond to the public in their time of need.
“The launch of the new BA sets on our appliances is the culmination of many months of hard work by so many members of staff, who should all be congratulated for helping to efficiently deliver such a complex programme of work.”
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service Station Commander Dave Tubbs, who led the project, said: “These new sets, manufactured by Interspiro, provide the latest technology to support firefighter safety and comfort, and came out top in the challenging user-test trials we ran as part of the tender process.
They have body-shaped shoulder straps, a hip belt, backplate and lighter weight oxygen cylinders than those previously used by our firefighters.
“The harness is robust and light-weight, as well as being fully adjustable to meet the requirements of a diverse workforce.”
Speaking on behalf of the Thames Valley Collaborative Executive Board, Calum Bell said: “This collaborative BA Project is an excellent example of what can be delivered to the Thames Valley community through an extensive programme of joint working.
“The team worked tirelessly on this three-year project, from concept to delivery, alongside their core and day to day duties.
“They worked tirelessly to overcome the challenging and complex circumstances brought about by a global pandemic and its impacts on the supply chain and were able to deliver the required outcomes without incurring any additional costs.”
He explained: “The benefits this project brings to the three services are efficiency and improvement, not just financially, but also to effective working in an operational environment. Implementation of a single BA set worn by all firefighters across the Thames Valley is the key enabler to the three services being able to work more seamlessly at any incident requiring this core piece of firefighting equipment.
“Thanks to the exceptional work of all the staff involved in this project, a common goal has been delivered which improves firefighter safety as well as the quality of service delivered to the people living and working in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.”
