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FIRE MINISTER Parmjit Dhanda has announced that a further funding package of £3.2m will be made available to fire and rescue authorities in England to support the ongoing roll-out of specialist New Dimension equipment.
The funding is largely for training in the use of mass decontamination response units, but will also be used to provide additional protective clothing for use during work on collapsed buildings.
The latest funding builds on the £200m the Government has spent on purchasing the New Dimension resources and previous grants for fire authorities to support the use of the equipment.
Commenting on the move, the Fire Minister said: ‘The New Dimension equipment is vital to resilience, and these latest grants to fire and rescue authorities show that the Government remains committed to fund them to crew, host and accommodate this equipment. Training is obviously vital to make best use of this equipment.’
Set up following the terrorist attacks on September 11, the New Dimension initiative is designed to enhance the ability of the fire and rescue service to respond to a range of threats, including chemical incidents, flooding and building collapses.
According to Communities and Local Government, every firefighter – some 50,000 – has received basic awareness training for mass decontamination and will shortly receive basic training relating to rescues in collapsed buildings.
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