Today team member Nigel Booth, our Equipment Officer – Ropes and Stretchers, who is a full time GMFRS Watch Manager at GMFRS Bolton North Community Fire Station, attended the ninth meeting of the Lancashire Fire Operations Group.

This group as regular readers will remember, serves to bring all those who would be involved in wildfire fire fighting operations in Lancashire, together under the direction of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

The meeting took place at LFRS Hyndburn Community Fire Station, Hyndburn Road, Accrington, commencing at 10.00hrs.

A large number of organisations as usual were present, including Liam Wilson, Steve Turner, Shaun Walton, Kirsty McCreesh, Tom Cookson, Rob Harvey , Wayne Howarth and Neil Hardiman, all of LFRS, Rob Foster of Abbeystead Estate, Pete Wilson from United Utilities, Nick Osbourne from Lancashire County Council, and of course our Nigel Booth, representing the interests of Bolton MRT.

Apologies were received from other usual attendees, including Bay SART, BPMRT, Natural England, Ingham and Yorke and the Moorland Association.

A very productive meeting followed, including much reference to mobilisation and a Memorandum of Understanding between LFRS and MRTs / SARTs assisting in wildfires.