EVESHAM fire station has taken delivery of a brand new fire engine.

Crews at the Abbey Road station have been joined by nine other stations across Herefordshire and Worcestershire in enjoying the benefits of using one of the latest additions to the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service fleet.

Each fire engine includes a 3,000-litre water tank, increasing the volume by 40% - and the weight of the fully loaded vehicle to 15 tonnes.

The latest cutting gear and radio systems can be found on each vehicle that is also provided with a 3,000-litre dam, to enable water to be stored while more is collected.

Six cameras around each fire engine give 360 degree CCTV, offering benefits for incident review and driver training.

“The crews at Evesham have taken delivery of the new 3000l appliance and are already seeing the benefits this brings to the station and our communities,” said Station Commander Thom Morgan.

“The appliance can transport nearly twice as much water to incidents as our standard pumps as well as the usual life-saving equipment, meaning a more effective use of resources on the fire ground."

“The appliance will be a vital asset moving forward and will be crewed by both Wholetime and On-call crews throughout the day and night.”

New Scania appliances have also been deployed at Droitwich, Evesham, Kidderminster, Kingsland, Ledbury, Leintwardine, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye and Tenbury Wells stations.

Area Commander Guy Palmer said: “This £2.5 million investment demonstrates the commitment from the Fire Authority to deliver a first-class service not only to the communities of Herefordshire and Worcestershire but also to empower our staff with the right tools and equipment to be able to do their job.”