North Yorkshire firefighters 'limiting public contact' over coronavirus spread

A tweet from Chief Fire Officer Andrew Brodie said: "You'll see less of North Yorkshire Fire firefighters out and about. We're limiting non-essential contact with the public to control the spread of Coronavirus and to keep firefighters available for emergency response".

West Yorkshire Fire Service, meanwhile, has said it has contingency plans in place and is "continuously monitoring the situation" and following advice from various partners.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton said: "We are responding to all emergencies as normal. We are issuing advice and guidance to support all of our staff to help prevent the spread of the virus."

South Yorkshire Fire's Deputy Chief Fire Officer Tony Carlin said: “We are continuing to provide our emergency response service to the public. We are also continuing to deliver work in people’s homes and businesses to make them safer, though we are taking a risk based approach to ensure the ongoing safety of our staff, minimise risk of transmission and maintain this vital part of our service to the public.”

The Yorkshire Post has also reached out to Humberside Fire service for comment.