Make flood rescue a statutory duty of fire & rescue services in England as recommended in the Multi-Agency Flood Plan (MAFP) review
Why is this important?
15.3 The role of the FRS in statutory duty of flood response has been set in the Devolved Administrations, but not England. Recommendation 39 of the Pitt Review stated that: “the Government should urgently put in place a fully funded national capability for flood rescue with Fire and Rescue Authorities playing a leading role, underpinned as necessary by a statutory duty”.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/715483/mafp-review-2018-final-report.pdf
Fire & rescue services are best placed to co-ordinate flood rescue operations but, if, budgets continue to be cut, there is a real danger that they will only be able to respond to emergencies where they have a statutory duty to do so.
