Tag Archives: Firefighters

Young Firefighters celebrate cheque presentation with Waitrose!

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Young Firefighters from Kenilworth are celebrating this week after receiving a cheque from Waitrose for £464

Warwickshire County Council’s Young Firefighters Association, were put forward for the Waitrose initiative ‘Community Matters’ after being approached by a cadet from the Kenilworth YFA branch.  The initiative allocates £1,000 a month to each of Waitrose’s 190 branches to distribute amongst three local community projects. The YFA were chosen by shoppers as their charity of the month which earned the Association £464 to help with costs towards an outdoor activity weekend.

Young Firefighters Association Co-ordinator, Sue Such said

“We would really like to thank Waitrose and their customers for making us their charity of the month. The money we have received will be used to enhance the facilities we have available for young people from the Warwick and Kenilworth area to use.

“At present we have 13 young firefighters at this branch who meet once a week for two hours. During that time they undertake training in ladder and hose drills, take part in competitions and carry out work in their local community.”

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Gary Phillips said:

“I am delighted that our Young Firefighters have been nominated to receive this funding from Waitrose and the local community.

“The nomination for the YFA came from one of our cadets, George Halpin, who used his own initiative to approach Waitrose about the ‘Community Matters’ initiative.  This is really commendable and I am honoured to be part of a presentation event which highlights just how committed our young people are to the Service.”

The YFA in Warwickshire has been running since 1997. Meeting at least once a week on local fire stations young people can get involved in a variety of fun and challenging fire service related tasks and activities. These include:

  • Marching
  • Fire Service Drills
  • Parades
  • Pitching Ladders
  • Hose Running

For further information on the Young Firefighters Association, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/yfa
 

 

 

 

 

 

Warwickshire Police confirm two lives lost in Barford

Warwickshire Police have confirmed that two bodies have been recovered from the River Avon at Barford near Warwick. (Saturday 12 May).

The body of a child was recovered at shortly before 8.30pm and the body of an adult male was recovered from the river at shortly after 10pm. Both were declared deceased at the scene.
Two children recovered from the water earlier in the evening were taken to Warwick Hospital. One of the children, who had been taken from the water unconscious was described as being in a serious but stable condition. The second child was described as conscious but poorly.
The three children and the adult had been in a small rowing boat which had capsized on the River Avon at Barford.
The emergency services were contacted at 5.35pm and a major recovery operation was immediately started involving Warwickshire Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue service and Severn Area Rescue plus other rescue services were involved in the operation.
The names of the deceased will not be released until formal identification processes have been completed.
Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Jim Onions said:
“This has been a terrible and shocking incident.  Warwickshire Fire & Rescue crews were working until late in the evening dealing with what has been a very difficult operation.
“All the emergency services involved have expressed their thanks to the people of Barford for their help and support during what has been an extremely difficult and upsetting incident. Our thoughts are with the bereaved at this time.”

Fire Suppression System averts potential disaster!

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service say a building was saved from going up in flames thanks to the Fire Suppression System the company had installed.

Firefighters were called to a fire at Millward Brown UK Ltd on Olympus Avenue, Tachbrook Park, Leamington on Sunday 29 April 2012 at 3.35am. The fire was located on the first floor in the computer room.  Two appliances from Leamington attended the incident and crews quickly set into action to tackle the fire. It is believed the fire started in a large battery back up store which was situated in a metal cabinet. The radiant heat from the fire ignited some paper and cardboard, which could have easily spread, had the company’s fire suppression system not kicked in.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Gary Phillips said:

“Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service would like to commend Millward Brown UK Ltd for having a Fire Suppression System in place. Not only did it stop the fire from developing, but it also saved the business from going up in flames, which in this economic climate is a real benefit, not only for the organisation, but also for the staff who are employed there and the community as a whole.

“As a Fire and Rescue Service we have long been petitioning for suppression systems such as sprinklers to be fitted in homes and businesses.  In our role we see the devastation fires cause, but can get frustrated knowing that something as simple as a suppression or sprinkler system could stop a real disaster from occurring.”

 David Chantrey, Managing Director of Millward Brown in Warwick, commented:

“The safety of our staff and preserving our service to our clients are utmost priorities for us.  We’re delighted that the systems we have in place worked as they were designed to and would encourage other businesses to do the same. We’d also like to thank Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for their fast and professional response”.

Further information on business fire safety can be found at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/saferpremises

Fire Service counts the cost of arson!

Arson attacks in Warwickshire have cost Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and it’s communities an estimated £21,830,084 in economic costs over the past four years.

More than 1,249 fires were deliberately started in the last year, totalling to 1652 fire appliances being called to deal with the fires. Deliberate attacks on commercial premises cost an average of £4365 with deliberate fires in domestic premises estimated at £12,800.

Around half of the fires attended were rubbish or bin fires, with the biggest being derelict buildings and skips.

Arson Reduction Manager, Ian Tonner, said: “Deliberate fire setting is not only dangerous for the individual involved, but it can devastate communities, schools and businesses. In the worst cases, lives can be lost.

“Ultimately, our priority is to keep the public and our firefighters safe and reducing arson and anti-social behaviour plays a big part in how we achieve that. We also need to support businesses to stay in business during this economic downturn, by educating them on how to reduce the risks of arson attacks on their premises.”

Whilst arson is a real issue and one we continue to drive down, we have had some real success.  In just two years we have managed to almost halve the economic cost of fire in Warwickshire. This has been driven by both preventative measures and an excellent operational response. However, we can not be complacent, which is why we have recently

launched our Small Fires Unit, which is already working in communities affected by arson. In addition we remain committed to our partnerships as we work together to protect the community and make Warwickshire a safer place to live.

To reduce the chances of being a victim of arson either at home or for commercial premises, there are some simple steps you can take:

  • Ensure your wheelie bin or your black bags are kept in a secure place away from buildings, so they cannot be set alight.
  •  Put rubbish out on the day of collection and then bring your bin in as soon as possible.
  • Never leave commercial bins open, keep them locked and secured before you leave the building for the evening and over the weekends.
  • Using a skip for building work or rubbish removal? Try to fill it and remove it on the same day.

For more information on fire safety log onto  http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/warksfirerescue

Fire Safety Champion celebrates award!

North Warwickshire pupil, Sophie Hunt is being commended for taking part in the Junior Fire Safety Champion Scheme at Kingsbury Primary School on Monday 30th April.

The scheme, which encourages young people to spot potential fire hazards in the home, has been established by Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service as part of a drive to keep young people safe from harm through an interactive fire safety education programme in Primary Schools.

The scheme has been made possible thanks to a grant of £4,500 from the Electrical Safety Council (ESC).

As part of the scheme, pupils are  asked to carry out an initial hazard spotting exercise which checks key elements such as whether there is a working smoke alarm in the home, if there are any electrical cables running under carpets or rugs and ensuring that  there only one plug used per socket.  Checks can be carried out in their family home, grandparents, neighbours, relatives or friends houses. Once complete, the young people have to hand in a completed assessment to the school and are awarded with a Junior Fire Safety Champion certificate.

All assessments are passed onto the fire service and also provide the residents with the opportunity to request advice or a free home fire safety check from the fire service.

Sophie was presented with her Junior Fire Safety Champion certificate by Community Fire Safety Officer Andy Morgan during a school assembly and was also the lucky winner of a £25 WHSmith gift voucher after being picked out of the monthly prize draw.

Schools Liaison Officer, Ruth Greenhalgh said:

“We are really pleased to be presenting Sophie with her prize and to have received funding for this scheme from the Electrical Safety Council. This is the second scheme they have funded within the last three years to help educate young people about how to stay safe in the home.  The project has been rolled out to schools across Warwickshire to give young people aged between 9 and 10 the opportunity to learn more about fire safety, electrical fire safety and how to stay safe in the home.”

Lorraine Carney, Senior Campaigns Manager at the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) said:

“Our primary objective is to help people stay safer around electricity. So we are delighted to work with the Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service to support their innovative Junior Fire Safety Champion Scheme. According to government statistics, almost half of all accidental fires in UK homes – that’s over 20,000 each year – are caused by electricity, so it’s vital that people are made aware of where electrical dangers may arise in their homes and understand how to prevent an electrical-related accident happening.”

Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said:

“The Junior Fire Safety Champion Scheme is proving to be a real success with young people across Warwickshire. I would like to congratulate Sophie on receiving her prize and hope that more young people will now get involved with this very worthwhile scheme.”

 

65% of vehicle fires caused by poor maintenance!

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service are warning drivers to take more care over the maintenance of their vehicles after seeing an increase in calls to attend accidental vehicle fires.

From April 2011 to March 2012, firefighters were called to 58 vehicle fires in Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth, 38 of these were caused by a faulty fuel supply or an overheated engine. Whilst a number of these incidents can be attributed to people visiting or traveling through the county, residents still need to be aware of the dangers they face if their vehicle is not regularly maintained.

Station Commander for the Warwick District, Jon Dixon said:
“We are concerned that 65% of our accidental vehicle fires are caused by overheating and general maintenance issues. We know a lot of this is down to people trying to make savings in their budget, but cutting back on vehicle maintenance can often have severe consequences. Simple checks, such as making sure you have enough oil in the car before traveling long journeys or making sure that the vehicle is serviced regularly, can really make a difference to your safety.“

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Richard Hobbs said:
“The safety of residents or people visiting and traveling through the county is paramount to us. By highlighting the issue of accidental vehicle fires, we hope to make people more aware of the dangers they face if vehicles are not properly checked before traveling on long journeys.”

Jon continued; there are simple steps residents can take to help them stay safe on the roads. These include:
* Ensure that the tyre pressure on your vehicle is checked regularly.
* Do not smoke or use a mobile phone while driving
* Ensure you vehicle has an annual MOT and Service
* Check water/coolant (anti freeze in cold weather) and oil levels to prevent over-heating and engine failure.

For further information on fire safety please log onto www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue