Gloucestershire's Chief Fire Officer, Jon Hall has spoken of his incredible respect for the volunteer fire departments in the wake of a huge explosion in Texas.
Mr Hall, who is also the UK's lead officer for National Resilience, said: "We are all saddened as we watch events unfold in West, Texas where a fertiliser plant has exploded overnight.
"From a fire service perspective, we have incredible respect for the volunteer fire departments that look after vast areas of the USA and are keeping our fingers crossed for the initial emergency responders who are still unaccounted for as this is written."
Plants like the one in West are known to be high risk and Mr Hall emphasised the importance of close working with the emergency services.
He said: "Ammonia Nitrate fertilisers are a well known risk in our business. The very energy within it that helps crops grow is the same energy that can sustain substantial fires and, in the right conditions, explosions.
"Indeed, fertiliser bombs were a characteristic of terrorist activity throughout the 70's and 80's and are still used to create improvised devices today.
"Typical problems facing crews when they respond to a fertiliser fire, apart from casualty recovery and rescue, include preventing explosion by isolating bulk stocks wherever possible, managing the toxic smoke plume which can cause as much harm as the fire itself."
UK production and storage sites are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive and plans are in place with local emergency services for response if necessary.
The Local Resilience Forum in Gloucestershire exists to consider precisely this type of scenario and has well-practiced plans for every element of a disaster.
He added: "I am reassured both by the professionalism of local emergency services and also by the way all parties come together through the LRF to create a well-oiled machine that can support communities when crisis hits.
"While thinking of all those affected in Texas, we all hope and pray that the plans we work so hard on are not needed closer to home."
