Blackburn Open Day
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Join us at Blackburn Fire Station for our Open Day on Sunday 23rd August, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.Face paintingFood stallsRaffle and tombola with great prizesBurn displa...
Lancashire firefighters deployed to Mozambique as part of UK international rescue effort
Two firefighters from Lancashire have been deployed to Mozambique to support international flood rescue operations following severe storms and widespread flooding in January 2026.
Chris Jowett from Burnley Fire Station and Rob Ridgeway from St Annes Fire Station are part of the UK’s International Search and Rescue Team (UK ISAR), which has been mobilised in response to a formal request for international assistance from the Government of Mozambique. The deployment follows weeks of extreme rainfall that have caused extensive flooding, displaced hundreds of thousands of people and severely damaged infrastructure across large parts of the country.
UK ISAR is made up of specially trained firefighters and rescue specialists who volunteer their time from fire and rescue services across the country. The team provides expert flood and water rescue capability, working alongside local authorities, international partners and humanitarian agencies to help save lives in some of the most challenging conditions.
An initial advance team was deployed earlier in January to assess conditions and coordinate with Mozambican authorities, followed by a larger deployment of specialist personnel and rescue equipment to support lifesaving operations in flood‑affected areas. The teams are operating in regions where communities have been cut off by floodwater and access remains extremely difficult.
Chief Fire Officer Jon Charters says:
“Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service is proud to support this international effort, with local firefighters volunteering their skills and experience as part of the nationally coordinated UK ISAR response.
“Supporting communities during major emergencies, whether locally or internationally, is at the heart of what the fire and rescue service stands for. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating flooding in Mozambique.”
UK ISAR operates under the National Fire Chiefs Council’s National Resilience programme, ensuring the UK can respond rapidly to major international disasters when assistance is requested
