Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service was created under the Fire Service Act 1974 but its name then was Cornwall Fire Brigade until October 1, 2009. The name revision left London and Cleveland fire services to carry on the name Fire Brigade. Cornwall Fire Service is divided into 3 districts which are the Eastern, Central and Western with the headquarters based in Truro. The Cornwall council is in-charge of the administration of the service.
There are 428 employed retained firefighter, 201 fulltime firefighters and more than 120 support and administrative staff. The force has 31 operational fire stations- 2 of which are operating 24 hours, 5 are crewed only at day time from Monday to Sunday, and the rest 24 fire stations are crewed by retained firefighters who just live nearby and can come to the station 5 minutes after a call is received.
The 24 hours stations are located at the Western Division: 1 is at Camborne which owns Water Rescue Ladder, Water Rescue Tender, Rescue Tender, Environmental Support Unit, and Incident Response Unit; while the other is at Falmouth which owns 2 Water Rescue Ladders. Light 4×4 Pump, Operational Support Unit, Boat, and Marine Support Unit.
The daytime crewed stations are spread across the three divisions. For station located at the West, there is a station at Penzance that own Water Rescue Ladder, 4×4 Water Rescue Tender, and Light 4×4 Pump. In the Central Division, there is a station installed at Newquay which owns Water Rescue Ladder, Water Rescue Tender, Aerial Ladder Platform, and High Volume Pump; and another station is at St. Austell that owns Water Tender Ladder, 4×4 Water Rescue Tender and Operational Support Unit; and the other is at Truro which owns Water Rescue Ladder, 4×4 Water Rescue Tender, Command Support Unit and Aerial Ladder Platform. There is only 1 fire station installed at Bodmin for the East district and it owns Water Rescue Ladder, 4×4 Water Rescue Tender, Crash Rescue Van, Line, Rescue Unit, Light 4×4 Pump, Incident Response Unit and Environmental Support Unit.
For the retained stations there are 7 fire stations at the West Division and these are based at Helston which owns Water Rescue Ladder, Light 4×4 Pump (co-responder) and a Water Carrier; another station is at Mullion which owns Water Rescue Ladder, Light 4×4 Pump (co-responder); one is at Perranporth which owns Water Rescue Ladder and Light 4×4 Pump; then there is also one at Redruth which owns Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; then at St. Ives which has Water Rescue Ladder, Light 4×4 Pump and a Command Unit; 1 in St. Just which own Water Rescue Ladder, Light 4×4 Pump, and Command Unit; then 1 at St. Keverne which has a Water Rescue Ladder, Light 4×4 Pump (co-responder). For the Central Division, there are fire station installed to 7 locations- 1 station is installed at Forwey which owns Water Rescue Ladder, Light 4×4 Pump; 1 is at Mevagissey which owns Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; another at Padstow which has a Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; then 1 at Polruan which owns Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; there is also in St. Columb which owns a Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; 1 at St. Dennis that has a Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump,; and in St. Mawes which owns a Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump (co-responder). In the Eastern Division, there 10 installed fire stations spreading across the area. 1 fire station is found at Bude which owns Water Rescue Ladder, Water Rescue Tender and a Light 4×4 Pump; another is at Callington which owns a Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; 1 at Delabole which owns a Water rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; 1 at Launceston which has a Water Rescue Ladder; then 1 at Liskeard which owns Water Rescue Ladder, Water Rescue Tender and a Water Carrier; 1 station installed at Looe which owns Water Rescue Ladder, light 4×4 Pump, and a Limited Access Vehicle; another is found at Lostwithiel which owns Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; 1 at Saltash which owns Water Tender Ladder and a Water Rescue Tender; 1 at Torpoint which owns a Water Rescue Ladder and a Light 4×4 Pump; and 1 in Wadebridge which owns Water Rescue Ladder, a Light 4×4 Pump and a Water Carrier.
In addition, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is in partnership with South Western Ambulance Service to provide an emergency medical cover to the areas of Cornwall which are in need of a greater ambulance cover. Their objective is to execute first aid while they’re waiting for either the Rapid Response Vehicle or an ambulance. The stations operating as co-responders are Helston, Mullion, St. Keverne and St. Mawes.
The Service has a number of operational fire euipemnts including water rescue ladders, water rescue tenders, light 4×4 tenders and pumps, and other specialized mediums for operational support, marine support, environmental and command support.
