EXTRA cash will be given to train firefighters in the south in how to deal with the aftermath of nuclear, chemical and biological disasters.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority will receive more than £1m and the Isle of Wight Council £41,000 as part of a national £21m package to ensure firefighters know the most up to date techniques for dealing with mass contamination.

The cash is part of a Government investment drive to ensure that England’s fire and rescue services are equipped to deal with major incidents, including terrorism and extreme weather conditions.

Almost 90 per cent of England’s fire and rescue service vehicles are now fitted with new radios and are now on a new Firelink digital radio network, which allows all the emergency services to speak to each other during live incidents, aiding co-ordination.

The Government and fire services are in the process of moving to a linked network of nine regional fire control centres across England to replace the current 46 standalone control rooms.

Under the move, all calls from the south will go through a new supercentre in Fareham, which will cover the entire South East region.