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Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Fire And Rescue Reflects On 20 Years Of Animal Rescue

From snakes, swans, and horses to bottle nosed whales, dolphins and badgers, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue service (HIWFRS) is marking 20 years of helping animals who find themselves in tricky situations.

April 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service’s animal rescue advisors.

In 2004 Hampshire firefighters recognised the lack of formal procedures for the rescue of animals and a small team of like-minded firefighters formed an operational unit to provide specialist advice and support for the many animal-related incidents dealt with by the Service each year.

Jim Green was one of the founding members of the team and remains in this operational role with the fire service today, alongside his work for the British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association (BARTA).

Reflecting on his twenty years with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue as an Animal Rescue Tactical Advisor, Jim said:

“Over the 20 years with this team I have been involved with hundreds of incidents and many successful and rewarding rescues. Animals are intrinsically part of our nation, whether for companionship, sport, working animals, livestock or service animals.

"When emergencies happen to people, they also happen to animals.

“By responding to assist animals during an emergency or disaster, we make the management of emergencies safer and provide the best service for our communities, supporting and improving the physical and emotional wellbeing of people and animals.”

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