Group will help fight the floods (From Worcester News)

Group will help fight the floods

7:20pm Thursday 20th November 2008 in

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FLOOD rescue teams who played a crucial role during last summer’s storms are launching a new lobby group.

Teams from across the UK including Mercia Rescue, based at Upton-upon-Severn, are officially unveiling the Inland Flood Rescue Association (IFRA) at the town’s marina on Saturday, November 29.

In July 2007, inshore rescue teams nationally swung into action supporting the emergency services in flood-hit areas.

IFRA was formally set up in September 2007, but organisers hope the weekend event will raise the group’s profile nationally.

Backers hope the new body will allow the various highly-trained volunteer teams dotted around the UK to be better organised should the worst happen again.

Dave Walker, IFRA spokesman, said: “It should help avoid a few scenarios like last year where we had specialist rescue teams sat on the sidelines because of a lack of co-ordination.”

The body already has a dozen member teams covering the four corners of the UK with “more on the sidelines”, added Mr Walker.

IFRA will bring water rescue units equipped with boats, hovercraft, jet skis, amphibious vehicles and search dogs under a single banner.

Mr Walker explained: “We’ll have a unified co-ordinated voice at a time when some serious political decision-making is going on.”

For further information visit floodrescueuk.com.