The Harrogate Fire and Rescue Service operates a High Volume Pump (HVP) from the Harrogate Fire Station. The unit isn’t used for fighting fires but in situations where a high volume of water needs to be moved such as flooding. Although now stood down the station had been on standby to deploy to support Japan.
- Simon Render, Harrogate Station Manager
Harrogate Station Manager, Simon Render explained “They were chosen as Yorkshire is fortunate enough to have two HVP units within the county:
The unit is crewed by fire-fighters all of whom have been trained to ensure that the unit can operate for days at a time often many miles from home. This pumping unit was supplied as part of the governments national resilience strategy with over 40 units available countrywide.
The pump is capable of moving over 7000 litres of water a minute and over a long distances as each pump comes supplied with 3 km of large diameter hose. The pumps have proved to be very effective in fire and flood situations. This unit was used extensively to assist in Yorkshire 2007 summer floods.
Just to put the power of this unit into perspective, it can easily pump enough water to supply the entire demand of Harrogate.
- High Volume Pump Unit (HVP)
