This week the NFU called on fire services to invest in a coupling adapter developed by farmers that enables fire engines to connect directly to farm-based water bowsers and tanks. This gives crews faster access to additional water supplies in remote areas during wildfires and crop fires, which is crucial because onboard water supplies can be rapidly depleted in these situations. It also reduces the need for complex water relays and lowers the number of resources required on scene.
SFRS is currently trialling the adapters at six strategically selected fire stations: Ipswich East, Princes Street (Ipswich), Haverhill, Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Lowestoft. They have also been fitted to three all-terrain UniMogs and two water carriers, boosting the Service’s flexibility and coverage across rural areas.
The idea for the scheme was first raised at the Suffolk NFU Annual General Meeting in November 2022, following the most severe wildfire season SFRS had experienced in over a decade.
Jon Lacey, Chief Fire Officer at SFRS, said: “The summer of 2022 was relentless and exhausting — our crews fought 370 wildfires in July and August alone. I was therefore very encouraged by the idea that a simple adapter could help our firefighters work more efficiently when tackling fires in the open, and I was keen to get the trial underway as soon as possible.”
Momentum grew in 2023, when SFRS Station Manager and Equipment Officer Alex Smith met the NFU Suffolk Chair and local farmer, Glenn Buckingham of Helmingham Estate, at the Suffolk Show.
“The seed of the idea was planted at the AGM, but it was our meeting at the Suffolk Show that really moved things forward,” said Mr Smith. “In the following months, we spoke to farmers across the county to gauge their level of interest, and an overwhelming 95% said they would be willing to purchase their own couplings. That showed us there was real appetite to make this work.”
The effectiveness of the equipment was demonstrated later that same year during a house fire on the A140, when a local farmer who had attended the Suffolk Show used a homemade coupling to supply additional water to SFRS crews on scene.
Mr Lacey noted: “While the couplings are primarily intended to support our wildfire response, they could also prove valuable in other situations where water is difficult to access, for example, when we are attending an incident at a derelict building where water supplies have been turned off.”
Commenting on the trial, Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “We’re incredibly pleased to see Suffolk’s farming community and our fire service working together to tackle the growing threat of wildfires in the county.
“Public safety is always our top priority, and while our crews are better equipped than ever thanks to this initiative, the public can also do their part because the protection of our communities and environment is a responsibility we all share.
He continued: “The NFU’s advice reflects the same public safety messaging we regularly give to the public — to avoid using disposable barbecues in the countryside unless in designated areas, to dispose of cigarettes safely, and to avoid driving or parking on very dry grass.
“We also urge people not to light campfires or use sky lanterns, and to avoid leaving behind glass items or other reflective materials – all litter should be taken home and disposed of responsibly.”
Mr Lacey added: “We would like to add to this advice by urging all farmers to follow in the footsteps of a farmer in Stanton who, during a recent crop fire, created a fire break using his own equipment.
“As a result, the fire was much easier to contain and extinguish — demonstrating the real impact proactive on-farm measures can have.
“We would also encourage members of the public to download the free App what3words, which provides a unique three-word reference for wherever you are in the world.
“Our control room and crews can then use the reference to locate the 999 caller and the wildfire, which is extremely useful when the caller is in the middle of nowhere with no discernible landmarks and no road names. Furthermore, it uses GPS, so you don't need a signal or data on your mobile for it to work.”
