FIREFIGHTERS from Sidmouth have been providing a 24-hour presence at the submerged Somerset Levels.
The flood-hit community has been given a helping hand by members of the town’s retained team since in January as they are trained in high volume pumping.
Relief crews of three have been carrying out 12-hour shifts.
They were stood down for a well-earned break on Tuesday as cover arrived from other parts of the UK, but are likely to resume their duties soon.
“It has been horrendous,” said fire station manager and watch commander Rob Crisp. “The problem is the sheer volume of water.”
Crew manager Jack Burgess added: “It is a massive disaster.”
Services in Sidmouth have not been affected by the deployment and the town’s team and two pumps have remained fully functional.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here