Derbyshire emergency services assist with response to ‘unprecedented’ floods

On Boxing Day, the Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service sent water rescue units and high volume pumps to Lancashire where they assisted in transporting people from their flooded homes to safety.

They have since been stood down but are ready to return should further assistance be needed.

Also on Boxing Day, eight specialist members of Buxton Mountain Rescue Team took part in a joint Peak District regional mountain rescue response to the severe flooding in Greater Manchester.

The team members were first asked to assist the Oldham team at Littleborough but were then redeployed to Salford as the River Irwell broke its banks.

Team members assisted the police, fire and other agencies until it was declared that the water level was falling and life was no-longer in danger and the teams returned to their base at 11.00pm.

And on Sunday, the Derby Mountain Rescue Team were called out to assist with flood relief efforts in York.

Having been stood down from their previous callout in Greater Manchester just after midnight, five members of the team’s water section and a team driver were deployed to support the evacuation efforts.

During the operation the team was able to make use of their new drysuits, which were only donated to the team just over a week ago by Nottingham-based company, Gill Marine.