£19m boost for fire rescues

The Government today announced an extra £19m for fire services in England to improve the rescue of people from collapsed buildings as well as decontamination of the public.

The money will cover the cost of protective clothing for firefighters, as well as training on dealing with hazardous substances.

Fire Minister Sadiq Khan said: "It is vitally important that our Fire and Rescue Service is able to practise for the unexpected event that we all hope will never happen. But if it does, our firefighters are ready and trained to use the vital rescue equipment.

"The £19m announced today is in addition to that already provided through the Government's investment of £1 billion in specialist equipment for dealing with major incidents such as terrorism, industrial accident or extreme weather."