A question has been raised over the readiness of firefighters in Berkshire to deal with terror attacks.

Although terrorism is a rare occurence, it is still a risk that emergency services, including the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) have to prepare for.

A question over firefighter readiness to deal with terror incidents was raised at a meeting of Bracknell Forest Council’s overview and scrutiny committee.

Councillor Tina McKenzie-Boyle (Conservative, Crowthorne) asked what the RBFRS duties are in responding to terror incidents.

Tim Readings called the issue a ‘political hot potato’, with a debate raging between the Fire Brigade Union and the National Fire Chiefs Council and the Home Office.

Mr Readings said: “The National Fire Chiefs Council and the Home Office, they see terror incidents as an emergency and well within the remit of firefighters to attend those incident types.

“I have to say I think it is the job of the fire and rescue service to attend terror incidents, we do have capability in Berkshire for that, so we’re linked in through the National Inter-agency Liaison Officer role into counter terrorism policing, we do have a multi-agency response capability stood by there, we work in partnership with the other fire and rescue services across the Thames Valley to deliver that 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Berkshire also has a group of officers who have enhanced training in ballistic protection equipment and will respond to a terror incident as part of a specialist response capability.

“The facility to respond to terror incidents is embedded within Royal Berkshire, we’re ready to do that irrespective of what’s going on in that national debate.”

Cllr McKenzie-Boyle praised firefighters for their bravery at the meeting on Thursday, March 16.

Her question was asked as Mr Readings conducted a presentation on the RBFRS consultation on its draft Corporate Plan and Corporate Risk Management Plan 2023-2027.

The risk of terrorism is briefly mentioned in the plan, which defines RBFRS partnership with other fire services and agencies to be prepared for terror incidents, and states that the service will conduct an annual review of the risk of terror in the area.

Other incidents the fire and rescue service attend include the discovery of explosive devices and building collapses, where crews can lend expertise and take part in any rescue efforts.

The RBFRS is currently running a consultation on the plan and its priorities, which people can engage with in an online survey, emailing Consultations@rbfrs.co.uk and other methods.

The deadline for responses is Monday, March 27.

The  RBFRS is run by the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, which is overseen by a management committee made up of councillors from all six Berkshire councils.

There are three fire stations in Bracknell Forest, with Bracknell and Ascot being wholetime stations and Crowthorne being an on-call station.