FIREFIGHTERS demanded today that the government recognise and fund their vital role in responding to floods as Britain continues to face extreme weather this week.

Floods have spread across the country, with a major incident declared in Leicestershire at the beginning of the week

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service received 200 calls on Monday morning alone. Firefighters recorded rescuing 59 members of the public in the county.

The FBU has described the number of rescues as “extraordinary” and a “wake-up call” for the government.

The union wrote to the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in November, calling for investment in flood defences and for England’s fire and rescue services to have the same statutory duty to respond to incidents of flooding as already exists in Scotland and Wales.

In its absence, central government does not provide secure funding for national flood resilience and response, the FBU says.

General secretary Matt Wrack said: “Firefighters continue to work tirelessly to save lives and protect communities from devastating flooding. 

“With fire and rescue services severely overstretched after years of cuts, it is high time that the vital role firefighters play in flood response is formally recognised and fully funded.

“To ensure we are prepared for future floods, ministers must act now to implement a statutory duty for fire and rescue services in England, with the funding and resources urgently needed.”

Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention, Dame Diana Johnson, said: “Our fire and rescue services are receiving around £2.87 billion in this financial year and we will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure all services have the resources they need to protect communities.

“We are engaging with partners alongside Defra [the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs], National Fire Chiefs Council and other relevant stakeholders to review the fire and rescue services’ flooding response and resilience system.”

The Environment Agency issued 76 flood warnings today, while weather warnings remain in force for snow and ice in places across Britain.

Temperatures in the north Pennines could plunge to as low as -16°C tomorrow, according to the Met Office.