There is likely to be a great deal of head scratching among those responsible for balancing the books in the UK Fire Services. However fire services are proving resilient and thinking of new and innovative ways to continue delivering an effective firefighting service to the communities they serve. In this issue we take a look at how Shropshire FRS will be coping with change as well as the usual roundup of what's been happening at fire services around the UK. 

The devastating earthquake in Haiti at the beginning of the year saw fire and rescue specialists from around the UK heading out across the Atlantic to join International efforts to rescue survivors. This issue covers their work and the highs and many low points experienced by firefighters who had to cope, not only with collapsed buildings, but also a lack of any form of infrastructure in the capital city of an already impoverished country. Also look out for our Force Focus, Guest Columns and top 10 tips on how to become a firefighter!

2009 proved to be a particularly busy year for the service with extreme weather conditions wreaking havoc. We take a look at how Cumbria FRS coped with the challenges posed by the major floods back in November. Plus ever wondered how the latest fire safety advertising campaign Don’t Drown in Toxic Smoke was filmed? We take a fascinating look behind the scenes to see the techniques used by the makers.