Firefighters to use motorbikes fitted with hoses for the first time

Fire chiefs have unveiled their latest weapon - a £30,000 'fire bike' that is fitted with a power hose. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service is trialling two motorbikes which will be sent out instead of fire engines if fires are not deemed a threat to people or buildings.

The 1,200cc bikes by BMW cost about £30,000 in total each to buy and to equip so they are suitable for firemen to use. Each engine is fitted with two 25 litre canisters filled with water and foam and a high powered 30m jet hose.



The hose will work for two to three minutes but can put out a car fire in around 20 seconds.

Specially trained drivers are equipped with bespoke jacket and trousers, made by a company called Universal Carbon Fibres, which are both fire resistant and safe to wear on the road. Firemen still need a separate fire and crash helmet, however.



A spokesman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: "About 60 per cent of what we do is putting out "rubbish fires". These are fires that don't pose a threat to people or buildings. If approved this trial would enable us to buy more bikes and have them in stations where they have the highest incidences of these kind of fires. It is an expensive bike but then a fire appliance costs £250,000. It also means roads aren't blocked with 17 tonne fire engines which will be carrying life-saving equipment that could be used elsewhere."

If the six month trial is successful the scheme could be rolled out nationwide. Fire services from around the country attended a demonstration in Merseyside on Friday. Fire bikes are already used in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as Sweden, Denmark, Italy and Turkey.