Fire and rescue services from across the country gathered at Aintree in Liverpool to witness the unveiling of the new multi-million-pound National Resilience Centre of Excellence. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a training hub for emergency services, equipping them to handle national incidents with greater efficiency and expertise.

The centre will play a pivotal role in training personnel to use equipment deployed during national emergencies. Recent deployments of national resilience resources have included responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat. The centre has also been instrumental in delivering aid to Ukraine and responding to numerous natural disasters through the UK International Search and Rescue, which is based in Merseyside.

Chief Fire Officer Phil Garrigan of the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service hosted the opening ceremony, highlighting the extensive programme of work he led to bring the centre to fruition, funded by the Home Office.

“From national disasters to terrorist attacks, our emergency services will play a key role in keeping us safe and secure. This centre will help them to enhance their capabilities further,” said CFO Phil Garrigan.

Following the 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001, the UK government provided £200 million to enhance the fire and rescue services‘ capability to respond to similar events. The New Dimension Programme was established to deliver national resilience assets strategically located across the country, including high-volume pumps, urban search and rescue equipment, and CBRN-related kits.

Over the past 20 years, this equipment has been regularly updated and maintained. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service now hosts the National Resilience capability, including the control room operation that activates these assets during incidents. Deputy Chief Fire Officer Nick Searle noted that in the past year alone, national resilience assets were called upon over 1,300 times.

National Fire Chiefs Council Chair Mark Hardingham praised the completion of the project, emphasizing the centre’s unique capabilities.

“The Centre of Excellence is a unique facility with unique resources; a unique capability delivered by Merseyside but supported by every UK fire and rescue service,” Hardingham said.

The £40 million government investment in the National Resilience Centre of Excellence has resulted in a comprehensive training facility. The site includes a substantial search and rescue environment simulating the aftermath of an earthquake, an industrial-style building for real fire simulations using LPG, and an impressive high-rise structure for rescue at height training. Additionally, there are facilities to test high-volume pumps and simulate water rescues from surface-level flooding.

During her first official visit to a fire and rescue service since her appointment, Minister of State in the Home Office Dame Diana Johnson praised the tireless efforts of the service in bringing this vision to life.

“Labour has an ambitious programme of change. We have been elected with a convincing mandate to implement that change and moving forward we want a renewed focus on resilience and national standards which lie at the heart of what we do and of what you do,” Dame Diana Johnson said.

She commended the National Fire Chiefs Council and the team led by Phil Garrigan for their timely delivery of the programme.

The launch of the National Resilience Centre of Excellence marks a significant milestone in enhancing the UK’s emergency response capabilities, ensuring that the country is better prepared for any future incidents.