A COLLABORATION between the Environment Agency and firefighters has resulted in the innovation of a coupling that has the potential to save more lives, land and property across the country.

Developed between the Environment Agency Northumberland, Durham and Tees Field Team, County Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service (CDDFRS) and the National Resilience High Volume Pump Capability, the device is known as a ‘hose coupling’, which ensures that the FRS hose’s and Environment Agency pumps used in emergencies are completely compatible, making tackling floods more efficient.

Access to the FRS hose means more efficient deployment of the hose as it can be deployed at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour.

Alex Murray, Environment Agency Team Leader for Durham and Tees Valley Field Operations, said: ‘’This innovation is an outstanding example of collaboration between two emergency response organisations and as a result, increased resilience in tackling incidents and greater safety for all of our communities.

‘’The North East has a reputation for innovation and whilst the device was developed in this region, the hose coupling will be rolled out nationally, benefiting the whole of the UK.

‘The Environment Agency works closely and continually with the Fire and Rescue Service regionally and nationally, to develop strategies and tactics to defend people and our environment against fires, flooding and pollution’’.

The coupling is now in use nationally, giving the Environment Agency access to thousands of meters of extra hose that is held by the F&RS in strategic locations that would not have been possible before the development of the new devices.