Cash to fund three Norfolk fire rescue teams
Three new specialist rescue teams will be set up by the fire service in Norfolk following a £250,000 grant from the government.
The money from Defra will also pay for flood rescue training and equipment for firefighters in flood risk areas.
The teams will replace three smaller boats and will be based at three fire stations which are yet to be finalised.
The fire service launched its first specialist flood and swift water rescue unit for the county in late 2010.
The £30,000 boat, and a range of other specialist equipment, is crewed by members of Norfolk's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team, which is funded by central government.
The boat will be based at Dereham fire station when USAR relocates there from Wymondham.
The Defra grant matches money paid out by the county council in the past few years.
Roy Harold, assistant chief fire officer, said: "The new teams will replace three existing smaller boats at King's Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Norwich and will give us much greater specialist rescue capacity across the county.
"The specialist teams will form part of a national asset, designed to respond to tidal surges like the one that came so close to flooding Great Yarmouth in November 2007."