The Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service which deals with a broad range of incidents on Guernsey, including fires, road traffic accidents, assisting property owner after storm damage or flooding and incidents involving hazardous substances.

History

The earliest records show new fire engines delivered from London in 1768. The engine, probably a hand drawn pump, being kept inside the Town Church, Guernsey, being relocated in 1823 to the Glategny Esplanade in

Saint Peter Port St. Peter Port (french: Saint-Pierre Port) is a town and one of the ten parishes on the island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. It is the capital of the Bailiwick of Guernsey as well as the main port. The population in 2019 was 18,958. St. ...

. It was not until 1873 that a horse drawn manual pump was acquired for use by trained firefighters employed by an insurance company, the "Mutual", housed at Tower Hill, Saint Peter Port. In 1884, the Parish of Saint Peter Port bought the Mutual engine and assumed responsibility and based the engine with a hand cart and ladders at the Town Hospital. Hand pumps were later based at

Saint Peter Port Harbour Saint Peter Port Harbour is located in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey. It was a natural anchorage used by the Romans which has been changed into an artificial harbour that is now the island's main port for passengers. Loose cargo, liquids and gas ar ...

and St Sampson's Harbour. 1909 saw the acquisition of a motorised fire engine, a Merryweather pump on an Aster chassis, it was named ''Sarnia'' and a purpose built fire station was built in Upland Road. In 1922, the cost was taken over by the States of Guernsey and in 1935, a 1931 Albion Merryweather escape carrier was bought and named ''Sarmia II''. The equipment was relocated in 1935 to the Town Arsenal, buildings previously used by the

Royal Guernsey Militia The Royal Guernsey Militia has a history dating back 800 years. Always loyal to the British Crown, the men were unpaid volunteers whose wish was to defend the Island of Guernsey from foreign invaders. Militias were also created in the Bailiwick ...

. ''Sarnia II'' has been preserved and is kept at the Guernsey Occupation Museum. In 1939,

Guernsey Airport Guernsey Airport is an international airport on the island of Guernsey and the largest airport in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. It is located in the Forest, a parish in Guernsey, southwest of St. Peter Port and features mostly flights to Great B ...

was opened and a Morris Commercial fire truck was supplied, to be operated by airport staff if the need arose. Four Austin trucks were also acquired just in time for the bombing of Guernsey and the German occupation of the Channel Islands during which time a German officer commanded the fire brigade. It was in 2005 that the Fire Brigade name was changed to the current Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service. The service is regulated by, obtain powers from and have duties set out in ''The Fire Services (Guernsey) Law, 1989'' as amended.

Herm

The service maintains some equipment and a team of retained firefighters on the island of Herm.

Airport

There are 36 trained fire fighters working at

, forming the Airport Fire Service.

Fire stations

The service's two stations are Guernsey, which is crewed by both wholetime firefighters and

retained firefighter In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a retained firefighter, also known as an RDS Firefighter or on-call firefighter, is a firefighter who does not work on a fire station full-time but is paid to spend long periods of time on call to respond to em ...

s; and Herm which is crewed by retained firefighters.

Emergency services on Guernsey

Guernsey Ambulance and Rescue Service Guernsey Ambulance and Rescue Service is the ambulance and rescue service of Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands, and also provides these services to other islands within the Bailiwick of Guernsey, both those directly governed, an ...

* States of Guernsey Police Service *

Saint Peter Port Lifeboat Station The Saint Peter Port Lifeboat Station was established in Guernsey in 1803. Originally based at Saint Sampson, it relocated to Saint Peter Port in 1881. History Established in 1803 and based in Saint Sampson, Guernsey, a tidal harbour. 6 Silver ...

References

External links

* Organisations based in Guernsey Fire and rescue services of England {{firefighting-stub