Grenfell grant buys life-saving smoke curtains for Nottinghamshire firefighters

The curtains, which are designed to hold back smoke while people escape, will be introduced on Sunday, August 1, once NFRS has completed the necessary training.

Smoke curtains are particularly useful in high-rise buildings due to the potentially complex nature of these rescues.

The Government has given NFRS nearly £100,750 to buy smoke curtains and other equipment designed specifically for tackling fires in high-rise buildings, following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase One report.

Smoke hoods, which were introduced earlier this year, were successfully used for the first time in a Radford fire last month to rescue a woman uninjured.

Chris Emmott, group manager, said: “The smoke hoods have already proved their worth and we expect smoke curtains will be just as useful.

"This equipment could save many lives in future.

"Purchasing special equipment to tackle fires in high-rise buildings is just one of many ways we are meeting the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase One report.”

More information about the service’s response to the Grenfell inquiry can be found in a report to the meeting of the Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Authority here.