Earlier this month, Lambeth River Fire Station made its return to its historic home at Albert Embankment on the Thames after six months of refurbishments in Lowestoft. This week, firefighters returned to the station after a period of operational duty at HMS President.
Fire boats have been utilised in London since as early as the 1700s and a river station has been positioned at Lambeth since 1936. Lambeth River Fire Station’s firefighters crew two fire boats responding to incidents from the river, bridges and the shore. Working closely with the RNLI, Metropolitan Police Service, HMS Coastguard and Port of London Authority, the Brigade’s boat crews attend over 170 incidents a year – more than three a week on average.
Alongside general improvements, painting and redecoration, the station’s hull has been fully refurbished, extending the life of the station by around 25 years.
Laura Birnbaum, Assistant Director of Property and Technical Support Services, said: “After a significant investment into the maintenance of Lambeth River Fire Station, crews have been welcomed back to their historic home on Albert Embankment.
“Improvements to the station follow a £3.2m investment in two new fireboats. In service since 2022, ‘Tanner’ and ‘Errington’ are twice as fast as the previous vessels and can reach speeds of forty knots. As well as hoses that allow crews to fight fires from the river, the boats are fitted with a hydraulic crane for conducting rescues from the water and a high-definition thermal imaging camera.
“We would like to extend our thanks to Babcock and SMS Group for their work to restore the station alongside Brigade staff. The refurbishments have provided the river station with longevity and improved the offices, accommodation, and recreational spaces available to the crews.”
Patrick Goulbourne, Assistant Commissioner for Operational Resilience and Control, said: “Lambeth River Fire Station forms a vital part of the Brigade’s emergency response. The station’s ground uniquely covers Teddington in the west to Dartford Crossing in the east.
“While the station was under repair, Lambeth River Fire Station’s crews and fire boats were stationed at HMS President, the Royal Navy’s permanent base on the River Thames. The support of the Royal Navy ensured the Brigade could continue to utilise the unique skills and equipment of Lambeth River’s crews while the station was under repair.”
Tom Newman, CEO of Babcock’s Land Sector said: “The river station plays a crucial role in emergency response up and down the banks of the river. As well as being able to respond to incidents on the Thames itself, it also plays a vital part in tackling land based fires along the river using the Thames as its water source.
“Babcock, a market leader in the design, manufacture and through-life support of vessels is proud to work together with LFB and SMS Group to see this vital asset ready again for service. Together the deep maintenance has been successfully completed thanks to the commitment and close working between everyone involved.”
David Gooderham, General Manager of SMS in Lowestoft, said: “The project perfectly suits both our infrastructure and expertise; our 75m dry dock and 100m quayside perfectly complimented the technical requirements of the work scope. We have the life-extension experience and the marine engineering expertise - especially in relation to floating assets. From disconnecting the station, through to the towage, completing the works onsite in the dry dock, dredging the standing location on the Thames, and thereafter reconnecting the assets it’s been a great programme of work, it also been a real, genuine pleasure to work with both Babcock and LFB. Huge thanks to their respective project teams for making this deep maintenance period such a resounding success.”
Lieutenant Commander L J Broster, Royal Navy, said: “HMS PRESIDENT has been very pleased to host our colleagues from London Fire Brigade (LFB) since February. During this period, LFB has utilised the site near Tower Bridge, operating two fire boats. LFB have been able to make use of the galley, the accommodation, the rest areas, a dedicated classroom and a fully equipped gymnasium. The Brigade’s nine month stay has flown by and been of mutual benefit to both the Royal Navy Reserve and LFB. As the Brigade prepare to move back to Lambeth River Station, all our staff at HMS PRESIDENT wish them a fond farewell.”
