The history of fire fighting in Bedfordshire can be traced back to the 17th century, when parishes had their own fire pumps and crews. In 1773, the parish of Pertenhall made an agreement to use the fire engine at Kimbolton, while Hockliffe paid towards the upkeep of the engine at Toddington in 1832.
In 1838, the first volunteer fire brigade was formed in Bedford. This was followed by the formation of brigades in other towns and villages across the county. In 1878, the Bedford Borough Council took over the running of the town's fire brigade.
In 1941, due to the demands of World War II, the National Fire Service (NFS) was formed. This brought all of the country's fire brigades under one central control. The NFS was disbanded in 1947, and the Bedfordshire Fire Brigade was recreated.
In 1964, Luton became a county borough and formed its own independent fire brigade. This lasted until 1974, when the Luton brigade was reabsorbed into Bedfordshire, which was renamed Bedfordshire Fire Service. The service was later renamed Bedfordshire & Luton Fire and Rescue Service in 1997, on the same day that Luton became a unitary authority. This reflected that Luton was no longer in the administrative county of Bedfordshire, though Luton remained in the ceremonial county.
Today, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is a responsible authority under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. It is governed by the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority, which comprises twelve elected councillors, known as Members, appointed from each of the three unitary authorities.
The service has a fleet of over 100 fire engines and other specialist vehicles. It employs over 500 people, including firefighters, fire safety officers, and support staff.
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service provides a wide range of services, including:
- Firefighting and rescue
- Fire prevention and safety
- Community safety education
- Road traffic collision rescue
- Water rescue
- Hazardous materials response
The Oxford Diecast Merceds model is shown here in the Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service Support livery. It comes on a plinth, with a clear case lid and Oxford Diecast wrap.