Fire Service received 126 calls in three hours due to high winds and heavy rain

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service received 126 calls from 12.00pm to 3.00pm on Sunday (29 November), as the county was hit by high winds and heavy rain.

Resources were widely deployed across the region as crews responded to a range of incidents including fallen trees which had landed on properties and vehicles, damaged buildings, dislodged chimney stacks and road blockages.

A number of chimney stacks were damaged or dislodged by the high winds, requiring firefighters to remove them in a number of cases to prevent further danger to the public.

David Acton, chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “The stormy weather has stretched the fire service to the limit and we have been dealing with the various incidents as quickly as we can. Our firefighters and support staff have done an excellent job in extremely difficult conditions.

“The storms have highlighted how we need to maintain our resilience and any further decrease in the numbers of firefighters would have a serious impact on the safety of the people of Greater Manchester.

“I would like to reassure the public that despite the severe pressure on our services currently, we will respond to calls as quickly as we can. If you do not require assistance immediately, please be patient as we prioritise emergency calls.”

To lessen the possibility of needing to call the emergency services during times of increased need, GMFRS has a number of safety messages people can refer to at: http://manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/