MORE than 30 people were rescued by firefighters in Northern Ireland every week last year, according to new statistics.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said a record number of people were helped by fire crews in the north - and the vast majority of its work was linked to serious accidents, not fires.
A total of 1,695 people were rescued between April 2017 and March 2018 - up 12 per cent on the previous year.
The figures show that 141 people were saved every month - 32 rescues every week.
The statistics also reveal 1,519 people were brought to safety from 'non-fire' incidents including road crashes, flooding, hazardous chemical spillages and lift rescues, compared with 176 people in fires.
Crews also dealt with issues on farms including rescuing people from slurry tanks and freeing workers who became trapped in machinery.
The union said it had compiled the figures via Freedom of Information requests after the British government stopped publishing the statistics in 1999.
Jim Quinn, from the union, said: "While firefighters continue to protect their communities from fires, these figures show that their role has vastly expanded.
"They serve a vital role responding to flooding, hazardous chemical spillages, road traffic collisions and lift rescues.
"Firefighters are rescuing more people year-on-year, with non-fire incidents nearly outnumbering fire rescues tenfold.
"These figures show that need for firefighters in all their roles is increasing and reveal the immense value of their lifesaving work."
