Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service is governed by law and guidance; of particular relevance is the Fire Services Act 2004.

This Act not only requires provision for firefighting purposes but also promotion of fire safety, known as community safety (CS), in Cumbria this CS is one component of a wider Community Safety Strategy. Attendance at road traffic collisions is also a requirement of the Act.

The Act also provides express powers to respond to all kinds of other emergencies, from serious flooding to dealing with the aftermath of terrorism.

A Special Service  is a service that responds to emergencies other than fires.

Examples of emergency non-chargeable Special Services include:

• attendance at Road Traffic Collisions, including extrication of casualties and making safe of vehicles;
• freeing entrapped people or animals;
• attendance at chemical/hazardous material incidents;
• effecting entry if obviating a fire or life risk.

Some Special Services are chargeable, follow the link for the scale of charges.  Examples of chargeable Special Services are:

• testing dry rising mains;
• effecting entry (no life or fire risk);
• recharging extinguishers;
• attendance at Chemical/Hazardous material incident on private property (other than domestic properties ) if no life risk.

For more information please telephone (01900) 822503.