A GROUP of local firefighters are teaming up to launch a life-saving operation in far-flung South America.

The volunteer team are part of Operation Florian, a country-wide group of firefighters who give up their free time to help train fire crews in impoverished or war-torn countries.

A team of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service crewmen jetted off to poverty-stricken Ascucion, in Paraguay, at the weekend, to prepare for Operation Florian's latest life-saving drive.

Leader of the group, former firefighter Colin Cunliffe, from Ribchester, visited Paraguay last year, on an advance visit and found the country to be in desperate need of proper fire-fighting equipment and training. Mick Doherty, national chairman of Operation Florian and Station Commander of Bamber Bridge Fire Station said: "The British Ambassador in Paraguay sent a request to our website.

"We sent Colin on a fact finding mission for two weeks. He toured the whole of Paraguay and found they needed help.

"So we collected equipment that would be considered redundant over here, but is still fully serviceable. Now we're sending a training team. They're going to teach the Paraguay volunteer fire service how to use breathing apparatus and do emergency rescue techniques."

"There tends to be fire and rescue cover only in certain areas of Paraguayan towns and cities and virtually none in rural areas. Fire strikes in the poorest parts of conurbations and the countryside, where road traffic crashes are also more prevalent and where fire-fighting and rescue provision is often non-existent.

"We hope to improve matters by concentrating on equipping and training local people as firefighters."

Operation Florian has been carrying out these life-saving operations throughout the world. The organisation collect unwanted fire and rescue equipment, and then supply training.

And even though they are visiting exotic countries, the firefighters who make up Operation Florian face a difficult task.

Mick said: "We see a lot of poverty. That is why we are needed. We are trying to rebuild the infrastructure of these countries.

"A lot of the work we have been doing is in Bosnia.

"At the moment we are considering a request from Ecuador. We will help anybody but there must be a definite need."