Community fire safety

A REPORT BY THE C.F.S. TASK FORCE

A task force set up by the Home Office to significantly reduce the number of fires and fire casualties in dwellings over the next 5 yrs. It reviewed causes of dwelling fires and reasons for casualties and.

• Identified problems and areas for improvement.
• Proposes a strategy to tackle the problems
• Translate, Priorities and Timetable an Action Plan
• Identify key indicators to evaluate.

They believe those general principles that drives organisations in the business world are the same needed to sell the fire safety message.

Principal Aim

Make CFS the primary focus of the F. Service putting fire and casualty reduction at the center.
To eliminate preventable fires
Key Indicator - Reduce dwelling fires by a third
Reduce accidental fire deaths by 40%
Reduce serious non-fatal casualties by 5% year on year
A measurable improvement of safety awareness – attitudes and behaviour in each.

They proposed A National Community Fire Safety Center (NCFSC) to provide a framework for all CFS endeavors to establish best practice for all initiatives planning programmes and materials.

To improve targeted programmes for all relevant segments of the population – Children – Aged – Social differences.

The Task Force believe the majority of fires in homes are preventable.
Most result in negligence or misuse of appliances and failed to take precautions to stop them starting.
The use of right messages given and acted upon they could be prevented altogether.

Example.

Smoking – Main cause of fire deaths in 95
Chip pan – Largest causes of injury
Misuse of equipment or appliances – Biggest single cause of fires
Placing articles to close to heat source – Mostly cooking appliances and heaters.
Need to highlight the hazards in such a way people hear and remember the message and act upon it accordingly.

Fire safety in the Work Place and Leisure industry, which covers Hotels, concert halls and places where public congregate for entertainment, even Sports (Hillsbourgh) is relatively successful. However, how long for? is another matter since most of Fire Safety legislation, inspections and checks have in the main been handed over to self regulation and local authorities such as Building Control.

Click here to enlarge

This is a mobile Chip Pan display unit used to show how to treat a chip pan fire.

These units exist in many brigades and this is one developed by Mid and West Wales fire brigade.

This was very, very successful.

Click here to enlarge

This is an example of the National CFS advert that appeared on Television.

The girl is an actual result of a person throwing water onto a chip pan.

Her courage is astounding.

A smaller version chip pan unit was given to each command, at that time Southern, Northern and West Commands. The main chip pan unit is still available on request, however it does not do the rounds as it was originally set up to do.

There should be a dedicated instructor, as was in the beginning, and it should do the original rounds which were... Schools, OAP organisations, Public spaces eg town centers, shopping car parks,

This regular tour would instill it in the minds of the present, and up and coming generations.

Having said that about the chip pan, I must also say that the idea of Community Fire Safety is an excellent one. As the years have moved on from Fire Prevention to Community Fire Safety, so have the ideas. The service has recently introduced Home Fire Safety Audits, as well as the other services outlined below.
1. Home Fire Safety Audit is where the fire service is invited into your homes by yourselves. They carry out an audit which entails checking your visual electrics, such as overloaded sockets, old or worn electric blankets, etc and will, subject to how much grant money is left, replace dangerous items free of charge.
Subject to your age and use of old type chip pans, they may replace it with a new Deep Fat Fryer or replace your electric blanket, again this is subject to grant monies left. Check out your local Fire Brigades web site for details.

2. There is also help to dissuade children from playing with matches under the FACE scheme (Fire Awareness Child Education).

3. Free Smoke Alarm/Detector installation.

4. Young Fire Fighters schemes at various fire stations.

All this is innovative and is constantly evolving. My main concern is that the baby is being thrown out with the bath water. There are some outstanding ideas which are set up, then are slowly forgotten about as they move onto other projects.

An outstanding project in Mid and West Wales was the GENUSIS project which brought onboard disaffected youths from the YOUTH OFFENDING TEAM into the brigade for a week, where they are subject to discipline, as would a firefighter during their training. They experienced what it was like to be trapped in a car while being cut out, and had a go of cutting someone out.

At the end of the week, especially when receiving their certificates, one could see that there would be a different youngster out there, who may even contribute to the community in the future. We knew they would think next time, before they committed anti-social behaviour. Some completely turned around.

I am told this project has now been abandoned and the credited Leading Firefighter returned to watch to ride the fire engine. David Kinge put an outstanding effort into his project. Constantly retraining and going to any courses or seminars that may advance the turnaround of these youths. The man is exceptionally trained and now it is all lost while he rides the engine. This type of project originated in NewCastle upon Tyne, called the PHOENIX project and has brought great achievements to their communities. Senior management need to seriously rethink this one and resurrect an outstanding project that does turn the disaffected youngsters around.

CRUCIAL SKILLS

PHOTO:GUARDIAN

MORE THAN 600 local children have been learning ‘crucial' skills for their own safety. They spent two hours learning how to be street and safety wise as well as how to be a good citizen when they took part in a special event called Crucial Crew.

A total of 635 year 6 pupils (aged 10-11) from schools in Ammanford , Llandeilo, Llandovery, Cross Hands and Ystradgynlais travelled to the Apostolic Church Hall, Penygroes, to learn basic but vital skill such as crime prevention and personal safety. Fire, Ambulance, Police, SWALEC, NFU, Trading Standards Department and British Transport Police each gave the children tips and valuable advice.

The information was presented in funny, clever and occasionally dramatic ways, like the chip pan fire opposite or the danger on the railway exercise.

FIRE STATION VISIT

PHOTO:GUARDIAN

ALL FIRED UP… Children from the infant class of Ysgol Garnswllt visited the fire station at Ammanford recently.

Chip pan demostration outside Kwik Save Ammanford

GET OUT STAY OUT CALL US OUT

PHOTO:GUARDIAN

SEE WHAT WE MEAN?…Dyfed Powys fire brigade have been holding a series of demonstrations like this one in Ammanford to show people the dangers of chip pan fires and to get over the simple message, get OUT, stay OUT, call the fire brigade OUT.

Easy to remember, isn't it!

Three from White watch and Stn Commander

FREE HOME FIRE SAFETY AUDITS

PHOTO:GUARDIAN

Community-minded Ammanford firefighters have launched a free initiative in a bid to reduce the fire risk in people's homes.

The community fire safety team at Ammanford is running a local initiative, offering a free home fire safety audit of people's properties. Station officer Jeff Jones said: “The intention is for people to get in touch with us in regards to any concern they may have about fire safety in their homes. We would then go along at their request and “We will check, install and, if necessary, supply a smoke detector free of charge. Assistance with other equipment may also be available following our visit.

LITTLE HERO…QUICK-THINKING YOUNGSTER PRAISE FOR SAVING BROTHER AND MOTHER.

22nd APRIL 2004

BOY, 8, RESCUED MUM FROM FIRE

PHOTO: GUARDIAN
STORY: EMMA EVANS
emma.evans@gwent-wales.co.u

QUICK-THINKING Ammanford hero Mark Thomas saved his little brother and mother from a fire – and he is just eight years old!

Schoolboy Mark leapt into action when mum Catrin Thomas set fire to the family home while cooking a pork roast.

Mark, remembering the most important lesson in his family's life, walked four-year-old Adam away from the blaze to safety outside their home.

Then, fearing for his mother's life, he returned to the house and shouted at his mother to get off the phone and leave the building right away.

Mark told the Guardian: “I remember the stuff we were taught in school by the fire brigade, I knew we had to get out of the house.

“I dragged Adam out and then was really worried about my mother, so I ran back to the house to get her. I told my mother to phone the fire brigade from our neighbours' house.”

FUTURE FIRRFIGHTER…Eight-year-old Mark Thomas is praised by Ammanford firefighters for his quick thinking and the courage he showed when rescuing his brother Adam.
(L to R)
Eleanor Thomas, community fire safety officer, Firefighters Paul Tancock and Clive Hanner, who is holding four-year-old Adam, Mum Catrin Thomas, Firefighter Emyr Jones, and station commander Jeff Jones.

Mum Catrin, aged 30, wept this week when she recalled her son's bravery.

The fire started at around 9pm on Easter Saturday, when Catrin was cooking a pork roast. She said: I was cooking a pork joint and noticed that it was smoking, I phoned Tracy, my husband, to tell him that the meat had burnt and I wanted him to pick up a take-away.

“H e told me to cover it and cook it slowly in the oven, but as I opened the door flames tore out of it.

“I was trapped between the door and the flames coming from the fire when I saw Mark grab Adam and drag him out of the house to a neighbours home. I was really worried about the children so I wet down the walls with a tea-towel and ran out of the kitchen.”

Mrs. Thomas said she panicked when she escaped the fire and phoned her sister.

“I don't know what came over me,” she said. “I phoned my sister and she told me to phone the fire brigade, which with hindsight I should have done first.

“Mark had run back over from our neighbour's house and was screaming at me to put the phone down and get out of the house. I am so proud of Mark for what he did.”

Mrs. Thomas added: “I am overwhelmed, he was fantastic. I can't get over how calm he was all the time. He is going to be nine on May 1 so he will be having a very special birthday this year.”

Mark said: “I am not a hero. I am just like any other normal little boy.”

Eleanor Thomas, community fire safety officer, said she was recently at Bets Primary School giving fire safety advice.

She said: “Mark's quick thinking proves that our fire safety message is reaching the children. I am really proud of Mark. He is a real hero.”

Jeff Jones, station commander at Ammanford said he was really impressed with Mark's quick thinking. “Adults tend to think too much – with Mark his reactions were automatic. It shows our fire safety programme is working.”

LITTLE HERO…QUICK-THINKING YOUNGSTER PRAISE FOR SAVING BROTHER AND MOTHER.		22nd APRIL 2004
		BOY, 8, RESCUED MUM FROM FIRE PHOTO: GUARDIAN STORY: EMMA EVANS emma.evans@gwent-wales.co.u QUICK-THINKING Ammanford hero Mark Thomas saved his little brother and mother from a fire – and he is just eight years old! Schoolboy Mark leapt into action when mum Catrin Thomas set fire to the family home while cooking a pork roast. Mark, remembering the most important lesson in his family's life, walked four-year-old Adam away from the blaze to safety outside their home. Then, fearing for his mother's life, he returned to the house and shouted at his mother to get off the phone and leave the building right away. Mark told the Guardian: “I remember the stuff we were taught in school by the fire brigade, I knew we had to get out of the house. “I dragged Adam out and then was really worried about my mother, so I ran back to the house to get her. I told my mother to phone the fire brigade from our neighbours' house.”

	FUTURE FIRRFIGHTER…Eight-year-old Mark Thomas is praised by Ammanford firefighters for his quick thinking and the courage he showed when rescuing his brother Adam. (L to R) Eleanor Thomas, community fire safety officer, Firefighters Paul Tancock and Clive Hanner, who is holding four-year-old Adam, Mum Catrin Thomas, Firefighter Emyr Jones, and station commander Jeff Jones.
Mum Catrin, aged 30, wept this week when she recalled her son's bravery. The fire started at around 9pm on Easter Saturday, when Catrin was cooking a pork roast. She said: I was cooking a pork joint and noticed that it was smoking, I phoned Tracy, my husband, to tell him that the meat had burnt and I wanted him to pick up a take-away. “H e told me to cover it and cook it slowly in the oven, but as I opened the door flames tore out of it. “I was trapped between the door and the flames coming from the fire when I saw Mark grab Adam and drag him out of the house to a neighbours home. I was really worried about the children so I wet down the walls with a tea-towel and ran out of the kitchen.” Mrs. Thomas said she panicked when she escaped the fire and phoned her sister. “I don't know what came over me,” she said. “I phoned my sister and she told me to phone the fire brigade, which with hindsight I should have done first. “Mark had run back over from our neighbour's house and was screaming at me to put the phone down and get out of the house. I am so proud of Mark for what he did.” Mrs. Thomas added: “I am overwhelmed, he was fantastic. I can't get over how calm he was all the time. He is going to be nine on May 1 so he will be having a very special birthday this year.” Mark said: “I am not a hero. I am just like any other normal little boy.” Eleanor Thomas, community fire safety officer, said she was recently at Bets Primary School giving fire safety advice. She said: “Mark's quick thinking proves that our fire safety message is reaching the children. I am really proud of Mark. He is a real hero.” Jeff Jones, station commander at Ammanford said he was really impressed with Mark's quick thinking. “Adults tend to think too much – with Mark his reactions were automatic. It shows our fire safety programme is working.”