14/01/2005 - An agreement
to introduce new equipment and procedures
to handle spillages of pollutants and to protect
the environment will be signed by the Environment
Agency and London Fire and Emergency Planning
Authority (LFEPA) on Monday 17 January at
LFEPA Headquarters.
Every fire engine in the capital has now been
equipped with an environmental Grab Pack which
contains clay mats to block drains, putty
to seal pipes, absorbent material to soak
up spills, and booms to contain contaminated
fire water and other materials.
Val Shawcross, chair of the London Fire and
Emergency Planning Authority and Chris Birks,
director of the Environment Agency’s Thames
Region, will formally sign a working agreement
that will ensure that pollution risks can
be minimised at the scene of an incident.
The agreement strengthens the existing working
relationship, covering issues such as agreed
responsibilities during an incident, the exchange
of information, joint training and what types
of incident the Environment Agency needs to
know about.
By ensuring that fire crews have the equipment
to protect the environment the Environment
Agency hopes that swift action can be taken
to avoid any environmental disaster.
Officers from the Environment Agency have
been working with the National Fire Service
College to develop the environmental module
of its Environmental Protection and Hazardous
Materials training course and have been training
firefighters on how to use the grab pack at
an incident. As well as oil and fuels, other
spills that may not appear hazardous such
as milk, beer and contaminated fire water
can pose a real threat to the environment
if it drains into the groundwater or a local
river.
Chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning
Authority Val Shawcross said: “This agreement
demonstrates our continued commitment to protect
the communities we serve using the very latest
equipment and techniques. The joint work we
are doing with the Environment Agency builds
on the procedures that we have in place to
deal with pollutants at incidents. The grab
pack provided to the Brigade under the agreement
means that every fire engine in London is
better equipped to handle incidents involving
chemicals and other materials which may harm
the environment.”
Chris Birks, director of the Environment
Agency’s Thames region, said: “This is a major
step forward in prioritising the environment.
The agreement is the result of some excellent
joint work between LFEPA and ourselves. The
equipment and training we have given to the
London Fire Brigade should provide them with
the right materials and skills to contain
harmful substances and dispose of them safely.LFEPA
and the EA have shown that the environment
can be protected more effectively if we work
together.”
