The Fire Service College has announced that it is to become the latest member of the international Coldcut Cobra academy structure in the UK. It will work closely with the existing academy, Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service, to develop a national training provision for the Cobra Cutting Extinguisher method.

Jon Hall, director of training at the Fire Service College, said: “It is essential for the College to ensure that its training develops as firefighting methods evolve. Cobra is at the forefront of innovation in the UK and the College welcomes the opportunity to work with Cold Cut Systems and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service. We will use our resources, reach and unique, assured training environment to build on the experience of the Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service and further enhance the training, research and development of the Cobra extinguishing concept.”

Peter Oom, chief executive officer, Cobra Coldcut Systems, said: “We are pleased to work with the Fire Service College and Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service to ensure that Cobra sits at the centre of training provision in the UK. The training resources that the College can bring to bear within the academy structure to support the development of Cobra are second to none. We are confident that as the use of the Cobra method expands across the UK, the national training provision will also develop and further enhance the concept.”

Martyn Emberson, the chief fire officer for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We have benefited greatly from being part of the international Coldcut Cobra academy. As the first embedded user of the Cobra Cutting Extinguisher concept in the United Kingdom, we also feel that we have made a significant contribution to its training development. We, along with many other fire services, are confident the concept has an important role in the future of safe, effective, and environmentally friendly firefighting. The Fire Service College will now provide significant impetus to expand this agenda.”

As part of the arrangement, a new user group will be created which will facilitate the development of links with other similar groups in Scandinavia and Europe as a means of maximising benefit and sharing of information.

The people in the image are (left to right) Jez Smith, managing director, Fire Service College and Peter Oom, chief executive officer, Cobra Coldcut Systems