We deal with traffic accidents every day, ranging from low speed single car collisions to high speed multi-vehicle crashes involving cars, lorries and buses.

Our specialist cutting equipment ensures the safe and speedy rescue of casualties trapped in vehicles.

Firefighters receive first aid training and carry the equipment needed to administer oxygen, fit neck collars and place casualties on specialist stretchers.

We also attend rail, aircraft and water incidents that involve fire or rescue.

We have specialist teams of firefighters who are highly trained in rope rescue.

They’re based in South Tyneside and form part of our response to incidents where people or animals need rescuing from inaccessible places like cliffs, cranes, bridges and confined spaces.

Watch our firefighters training to carry out rope rescues:

All of our appliances carry the equipment needed to carry out rescues from inland water, such as reservoirs and rivers. This includes:

• lifejackets
• throw lines
• inflatable hoses
• boats

Our firefighters are trained to national standards (Level 1 Water Awareness) and can carry out rescues on ice, mud and other unstable ground.

We also have firefighters based at Byker Fire Station who are specialists in water rescue. We have even provided water rescue training to firefighters in Moldova as part of Operation Florian.

Watch a swift water rescue training exercise:

From cats stuck up trees to large animal rescues that call for specialist lifting equipment, our crews don’t just save human lives.

Animal rescues can be dangerous, due to the conditions that have caused the animal to become trapped. Also, firefighters don’t always know how the animal will react.

We have a wide range of specialist rescue equipment, including a full size dummy horse for realistic training.

Tyne and Wear firefighters are trained to rescue people and animals in places where access is difficult, including places like wells, shafts, sewers and tunnels.

We have specialist search and rescue teams and equipment, as this type of incident can be very dangerous for rescuers as well as those who are trapped. Watch them training:

As a service, we have to train and prepare ourselves for incidents involving chemicals, biological agents and gases.

We have the ability to decontaminate our firefighters and large numbers of the public in the event of a major incident. This limits the harmful effects of hazardous materials.

Our specialist vehicle carries equipment that can detect, identify and monitor potentially hazardous materials.

Watch a mass decontamination training exercise: