In the news

On New Year’s Day team members were requested to assist with the major incident response to flooding in Stockport and Didsbury, following a number of preparatory calls held on New Year’s Eve and in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

A type-B (powered boat) water rescue team was initially mobilised to support a response to flooding at a large block of apartments in Stockport, attended by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Police, North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Kinder Mountain Rescue Team and Glossop Mountain Rescue Team. We attended with team members qualified in water rescue along with rescue equipment – namely rafts and powered boats. Floodwater at this location had largely subsided by our arrival and we were quickly stood down from that scene.

We were then asked to assist Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) at Palatine Road in Didsbury, to support the evacuation of a flooded hotel, as well as residents from nearby apartment blocks and houses cut off by floodwater. All had no access to electricity or central heating, due to an associated power cut in the area.

A huge multi-agency operation began in earnest here at around 4pm involving Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), Greater Manchester Police, North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust HART, ourselves, Kinder Mountain Rescue Team and Cheshire Search and Rescue supported by Transport for Greater Manchester, the local council, and Didsbury Mosque. We believe a total of 469 people were rescued from flooded properties and offered alternative accommodation.

Team members stood down at around 22:00 with all taskings completed.