Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has joined fire fighters in South Yorkshire to help tackle a devastating moorland fire using specialist equipment

On-call firefighters from Market Drayton and Whitchurch crews along with an incident commander are working alongside Humberside, South and West Yorkshire Fire Services around the clock.

The perimeter has been divided into segments and teams are methodically working through the area which covers nearly 16kmsq – that’s an area the size of almost 200 football pitches.

Also head gardener at Hodnet Hall gardens, Ross Underwood, aged 37, is on-call for emergencies with SFRS and on this occasion, put his fire-fighter training to use at his primary employer’s workplace.

He was alerted by a colleague to a man in his 80s, experiencing a blackout in the gardens and sprang into action, retrieving the trauma kit from nearby Hodnet fire station.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is taking part in the National Fire Chiefs Council’s  (NFCC) "Ready Willing and Able" campaign which launches today (April 15 l) which will show how fire and rescue services in the UK are going the extra mile to protect and support their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Firefighters and support staff across Shropshire will be sharing stories on social media about how they’re using their wide range of skills to provide community reassurance and help, in response to the national crisis.

As the weekend approaches and flood water still poses considerable dangers across the county, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to continue to be vigilant and remain safe.

Whether there are swollen rivers or general floodwater on roads and pathways, it is vital people follow simple, common sense, steps during periods of flooding to help ensure they, and their families, stay safe.