Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue staff verbally abused by callers during "Biblical" flooding

The service dealt with 356 emergency incidents - a new incident every 77 seconds for seven hours.

Presenting a county fire service report to Luton council, Poets councillor Jacqui Burnett said: “Some people have used the word Biblical to describe this, saying it was the worst in 400 years.

“Heavy rainfall started on September 22 and resulted in significant flooding across much of Bedfordshire, leading to road closures, power outages, school disruption and damage to properties.

“Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable and parts of Central Bedfordshire were particularly affected, with rainfall exceeding four times the monthly average.

“On the first Sunday of the flooding, fire control responded to the highest number of calls in a single day for almost two decades. There were 356 incidents registered in eight hours, one every seven seconds.

“I was told by the Fire Brigades Union that some of the control staff received verbal abuse on the phone from residents because rescue relief from flooding isn’t a statutory provision.”

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service played a pivotal role in the multi-agency response coordinated by Bedfordshire local resilience forum (BLRF), based on tactical and strategical group meetings, she explained.

“Firefighters were involved rescuing individuals from submerged vehicles and flooded homes. They tackled a house fire and a roof alight, handled animal rescues, and attended multiple road accidents, several properties struck by lightning and numerous medical emergencies, including a pregnant woman in distress.

“They worked tirelessly along with local authorities and volunteers to ensure public safety, focusing on the high risk areas and providing essential services to vulnerable residents and communities.

“Fire crews dealt with the consequences of extensive road flooding, notably the A421 near Marston Moretaine. There were also several key routes affected in Luton and Dunstable.

“They helped clear blocked roads and worked with councils to restore access as soon as possible. Their efforts included mitigating the impact on transport and ensuring safe routes for emergency vehicles and residents.

“Welfare checks were done for those impacted by these events, particularly for the elderly and anyone living alone. This response included distributing flood protection equipment and supporting temporary evacuation centres.

“The fire service played a critical role in public safety messaging, urging residents to avoid flooded areas, warning motorists to refrain from driving through flood waters and to follow emergency guidelines,” she added.

“These actions helped to prevent more incidents and minimised the risk of hospitality. The focus will remain on continued public safety, infrastructure recovery and community support.”

Liberal Democrat Round Green councillor Gillian Fry welcomed the report, saying: “It’s easy to wonder at home why a road has closed when there’s such a terrible rain deluge. So it’s important for us to know how much work was being done.”

Labour Farley councillor Javeria Hussain said: “Our Bedfordshire fire and rescue are unsung heroes, and I pay tribute to the incredible work they do.”

Councillors noted the report.