Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has recorded over 400 staff injuries while on duty over the past three years, according to new data obtained by Accident Claims Advice.

The figures, covering 2023 to 2025, highlight the demanding and hazardous conditions firefighters continue to face, as emergency services respond to rising call volumes and increasingly complex incidents.

Firefighting remains one of the most physically intensive public service roles in the UK, with crews routinely exposed to extreme heat, smoke, unstable buildings, heavy equipment and traumatic scenes while attending incidents.

The highest number of firefighter injuries over the three-year period was recorded in Winsford, with 67 incidents, followed by Crewe, with 38 injuries (Photo: Accident Claims Advice).

Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service operates 28 fire stations across the county, serving areas governed by Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington. 

The highest number of staff injuries over the three-year period was recorded in Winsford, with 67 incidents, followed by Crewe, with 38 injuries.

Official figures for England for the year ending March 2024 show 2,408 on-duty firefighter injuries, with around 40 per cent occurring during operational incidents such as fires, rescues and emergency responses.

Within Cheshire, the highest annual total was recorded in 2023/24, when 161 firefighters were injured while working. Although the most recent year saw a reduction, 108 staff injuries were still recorded, indicating that the risks remain significant.

Injuries sustained by firefighters commonly include burns, smoke inhalation, musculoskeletal damage, slips and falls, and impact injuries caused by falling debris or collapsing structures. 

Safety reviews at a national level have repeatedly warned reduced staffing levels, ageing fire service infrastructure and the growing complexity of incidents can all increase the likelihood of injury.

Further Accident Claims Advice analysis identified the most frequent causes of injury across Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Manual handling was the leading factor, accounting for 25 injuries, followed by slips, trips and falls on the same level, resulting in 16 injuries.

Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service operates 28 fire stations across the county, serving areas governed by Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington (Photo:Accident Claims Advice).

Fire Brigades Union national officer, Adam Taylor, said: "Too often firefighters are not being provided with the basic equipment and training they need to keep themselves and the public safe.

"Without proper PPE, firefighters face an impossible choice between heat stroke and exposing themselves to burns, either from flames or the sun.

"We urgently need investment to sort out this problem. We also need national standards on equipment and training, as well as response times and crewing levels."