Residents in Wrentham and the surrounding area welcomed a brand new, state-of-the-art fire engine to the village which cost almost a quarter of a million to build.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service launched the new Light Rescue Pump (LRP) at Wrentham Fire Station in the evening of Tuesday, April 24.
The LRP is a new-look fire and rescue vehicle and was developed following feedback from local residents and staff through a council consultation which looked at how the fire and rescue service operated and how the council would meet the needs of Suffolk residents.
A spokesman for the council said: 'As an important addition to the wider fire engine fleet, the LRP will make the best use of the firefighters from Wrentham, providing an effective and efficient service to the local community and the surrounding area.'
'The LRP is unique to Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and the Wrentham on-call firefighters were an integral part of the working group who designed it.'
The new engine includes new and modern firefighting and rescue equipment and has been specifically designed to provide flexible crewing in rural areas, with the ability to be operated by between two and five firefighters, rather than the standard fire appliance which usually operates with four to six firefighters.
The LRP weighs in at approximately five tonnes less than a standard appliance and cost £220,000 to build and equip, around £35,000 less than a standard appliance with similar firefighting and rescue equipment.
Matthew Hicks, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for environment, public protection and broadband, said: 'When we heard from local residents in 2015 that they wanted Wrentham fire station to remain open, we listened and changed our proposal.
'Introducing the LRP means that we are able to meet the needs of the local community and surrounding area, while also ensuring that valuable resources are used in the most effective way.
'This state-of the-art appliance marks another step on our journey for continuous improvement and our drive to ensure that Suffolk residents receive the best possible service.'
The appliance stationed in Wrentham prior to the launch of the LRP will be moved to another part of the county.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here