Kent Fire & Rescue Service News

More than 70 firefighters took part in a training exercise on Tuesday 19th February that involved Kent Fire and Rescue Service responding to two large fires in different parts of the county. ‘Exercise HighPlex’ gave KFRS the opportunity to test procedures when dealing with multiple ‘major incidents’. The main activity of the training exercise involved a simulated fire that took place at the now derelict Foxwood School in Seabrook Road, Hythe. The simulated incident repli...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service is one of two fire services in the UK now carrying escape hoods to protect members of the public from toxic smoke at fires. The introduction of the new kit comes as a result of collaborative working with London Fire Brigade, who’ve also issued the hoods to their crews. The hoods have a filter which provide up to 15 minutes protection from four of the main fire gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen chloride and acrolein) and can be worn by consciou...

A new purpose built fire station fit for 21st century firefighting was officially opened in Ramsgate on February 5, 2019. Nick Chard, Chairman of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority, launched the station and training facility based in Newington Road. The site was selected for its good location in terms of accessibility to key road networks, and has been built to provide a reliable and efficient modern day service for local people. As of 7th January 2019, it became home to whole-time...

Firefighters are issuing a safety warning about electrical chargers after a kitchen was severely damaged by a fire in Tunbridge Wells. Crews were alerted to the fire in Salisbury Road, Langton Green on Sunday afternoon (16th December) after the occupant’s mother entered the house while checking on the dog and discovered it to be smoke filled with a small fire ablaze. She quickly got the dog and herself out of the property and raised the alarm. When crews arrived, the ground floor of the...

Firefighters are urging drivers to be careful not to park over, or too close to, fire hydrants which give crews access to a crucial supply of water during incidents. Hydrants can be found on public roads, pavements or grass verges and are clearly marked with a yellow ‘H’ next to the hydrant cover, or on a nearby piece of street furniture e.g. lampposts. The plea comes as a result of crews not being able to get to the water supply on a number of occasions, whether it be during a fire...

Tunbridge Wells firefighters are calling on residents to give serious consideration to how they park in side streets and to make sure emergency services can get through. Today’s plea follows call outs this month to the Stanley Road and St Stephens Court area, where efforts to reach properties following a 999 call have been hampered by delays. Inconsiderate parking in residential streets has become a frequent problem for firefighters who fear that it is only a matter of time before this is...

An England Women Rugby Team player Shaunagh Brown has teamed up with Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) to encourage sports fans to think about testing their smoke alarms this season. 28-year-old, Shaunagh, who has played 4 caps for the England Women team, is also a firefighter based in Chatham and stars in a new 24-second video for the KFRS. She is shown in the film in both her England kit and fire gear as she is lifted, line-out style, by two of her fellow firefighters, Jody Morgan and Aaro...

A Dover resident was lucky to escape with her life after being overcome by smoke from a bedroom fire at a flat in Christchurch Way in the early hours of Saturday morning (10th November 2018). Fire crews praised the efforts of police officers, who were initially called to the scene after a neighbor reported hearing cries for help from a ground floor flat. Kent Police officers discovered the fire and realized someone was trapped inside. Unfortunately, there were no working smoke alarms in the fl...

Keeping you and your family safe was the main message of the day when Tonbridge fire station opened their doors to their local Nepalese community. The free event gave people the chance to chat to firefighters and get life-saving tips to help prevent a fire in their home. Around 100 visitors saw the devastating effects of putting water on to a cooking oil fire, with a cooking fire demonstration. Firefighter, Wayne Apps who helped organize the day said: "We really enjoyed meeting with the Nepales...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) was called to reports involving a series of wheelie bin fires in the early hours of Sunday 14 October 2018 in Minster on the Isle of Sheppey. Fire service control received a number of calls to nine incidents at addresses covering a distance of around two miles. KFRS was alerted to the first fire at 4:33am and fire crews left the scene of the last fire at 6:04am. Firefighters returned to the addresses later in the morning to help reassure the families affected...

The fire inside an industrial unit in Enterprise Way, Westwood, Margate, is now fully extinguished after 25 days of firefighting. Today (10th October), the emergency phase of the incident led by Kent Fire and Rescue Service will come to a close and firefighting operations will cease, ahead of schedule. Duty of care will then be handed to the land owner, and Thanet District Council will be the facilitators to the recovery process.  Site now deemed completely safe The fire service now deem...

Moving away from home and starting university can be daunting, but students and parents can rest assured that a new initiative from Kent Fire and Rescue Service is set to help keep new students safe from fire. The fire service has teamed up with Canterbury Christ Church University to launch a pilot initiative designed to remind students of simple steps they can take to reduce the chance of fire in their halls of residence.  Bright and colorful stickers were placed around all 305 universit...

Firefighters have praised the actions of a Folkestone schoolboy after a fire broke out at his home on Wednesday morning (19 September). At around 8.15am, 11-year-old Reilly Fleming was at home in Cornwallis Close getting ready to go to school when he noticed that a greenhouse adjoining the property looked a bit strange, and realized a fire had broken out inside. His mum and dad had already left the house to go to work, so Reilly quickly dialed 999 and went next door to alert the neighbors. He t...

Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling a blaze at an industrial unit in Westwood near Margate since Saturday morning (15 September). When the fire initially broke out, 14 fire engines and more than 50 fire personnel were deployed to the scene. They were faced with thousands of bales of plastic wrapped waste alight inside a unit in Enterprise Way. And while resources on the scene have been scaled down since the original response, there has been a significant fire service presence throughout...

A new intelligent information portal is set to transform the way burgeoning Kent firms and established businesses assess risk and protect their premises, procedures and staff – the first system of its kind among fire services in the UK. Kent Fire and Rescue Service has teamed up with the Fire Protection Association to create a digital one stop shop for companies in Kent and Medway looking to safeguard their livelihood against a multitude of hazards. Identifying specific safety risks Fro...

Firefighters are asking local businesses and residents for help in protecting properties, after tackling several bin fires in Sittingbourne in recent days. five wheelie bin fires In the last six days, crews have been called to five wheelie bin fires including: Tuesday, 21 August - Two fire engines were called at 9.34pm to a large metal wheelie bin that was alight at the back of a shop in Sittingbourne. They used a high pressure hose reel to put the fire out. Wednesday, 22 August - Crews were...

A senior firefighter from Kent Fire and Rescue Service has issued an urgent appeal for people to be extra vigilant during the current hot weather to protect the county’s countryside from fires. Countering risk of outdoor fires Although Kent and Medway experienced a good amount of rain last weekend; the sun, dry weather and high temperatures are back and have returned the county to tinder dry conditions and increased the risk of outdoor fires. Assistant Director Channel Tunnel and Resili...

A family from Borough Green has spoken of their relief at surviving a serious fire in their house, thanks to working smoke alarms fitted by Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS). Homeowners Stephen and Sarah Cole describe their ordeal which happened just six weeks ago, in a new film for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, which shows the extent of the damage to their home, as part of a campaign to encourage more families with young children to sign up for free safe and well visit. Smoke alarms Smoke...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) and Kent Police are asking those enjoying the hot summer weather to heed their water safety advice and stay out of the county's rivers. Kent and Medway has a wide variety of lakes, tidal and non-tidal rivers and waterways, all of which carry hidden dangers. Fire crews and local officers will be at The Lees in Yalding on Saturday 28 July highlighting the dangers of swimming in the nearby weir, which can become a fast-flowing torrent without notice. KFRS commu...

Families across Kent and Medway look set to live safer lives thanks to the help of a new cartoon family called ‘The Byrnes Family’, which was officially unveiled at the Kent County Show by Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) on Friday 6th July 2018. ‘Family safety’ product The brand new approach in helping youngsters understand safety at home, on the road and around water follows extensive research into pioneering techniques into behavior change, which has helped Kent F...

Firefighters are issuing a warning about the dangers of leaving electronic gadgets on charge after a fire broke out at a house in Dover, UK on 1 May 2018. Crews were called to the two-story property in Coombe Valley Road just after 9pm after a family discovered smoke coming from the first floor of their home. Breathing apparatus Three fire engines attended and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus located the fire on the first floor Three fire engines attended and firefighters wearing brea...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) has fitted public access defibrillators (PADs) outside of every fire station across Kent and Medway regions in the UK, along with making them freely available for use by local communities. The rollout of this equipment to 56 KFRS facilities countywide, is intended to give members of the public a better chance of helping to save someone who is in cardiac arrest. When someone suffers sudden cardiac arrest, prompt action by anyone nearby offers their only chance...

The scenario began when one of two bell-ringers carrying out maintenance on the bells slipped from the bell frame and had to be rescued from the church tower in Chevening last week. Fire safety training drill Fortunately, the mock drama was part of a joint training exercise involving Kent Fire and Rescue Service and Kent Police. The mock drama was part of a joint training exercise involving Kent Fire and Rescue Service and Kent Police The woman was trapped under a bell. A second bell-ringer...

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is proud to welcome a new group of whole-time firefighters - the first recruited in over 10 years. New firefighter recruits Twenty two men and women, chosen from over 5,000 applicants, have now been assigned to fire stations after a range of assessments including: situational awareness, problem solving, written, numerical, psychometric and physical testing before being interviewed and selected to join KFRS’ recruit course 180....

Survitec will provide body harnesses, rescue slings, shock absorbing lanyards, static ropes, karabiners and pulleys Survitec Group, a global leader in the manufacture, supply, inspection, testing and maintenance of safety and survival equipment, has been awarded a contract by Kent Fire and Rescue Service to supply bespoke packs of safe access equipment for use by fire crew when working at height. The equipment was purchased through a Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO...

Specialist firefighters from KFRS along with U.S. teams set up their base in Ofunato city, Japan The UK-ISAR team, including seven specialist firefighters from Kent Fire and Rescue Service, has set up its base in a school in Sumita, north Japan, near Ofunato, along with teams from the United States. This is in an area 20km outside of the city area that has been assessed as being completely safe from any further aftershocks or resultant tsunamis. There have been difficulties e...

Supermarket shoppers to get safety advice from firefighters The firefighters in Canterbury, and Folkestone Whitstable will visit supermarkets to spread safety awareness among the shoppers. Firefighters in Canterbury, and Folkestone Whitstable have teamed up with their local Sainsbury’s stores so that shoppers can do their grocery shopping and pick up vital community safety advice, when crews visit the stores. The local crews, plus community safety officers will be...

"Towards 2020" risk management plan has moved out for public consultation The public is being asked for its views on key plans on various fire safety related issues and ways for their improvement. Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority which oversees how KFRS is run agreed at a meeting that its Integrated Risk Management Plan, entitled "Towards 2020", will now go out for public consultation until 17 January. The outcomes will be reviewed by the Authority in February when a...

New workwear is designed to be safer and smarter Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) staff are to be kitted out in a new uniform which is designed to be safer and smarter. From 1st November, the workwear set of dark blue shirts and black trousers will be worn by firefighters under their protective fire clothing and when they go out on public duties such as Home Safety Visits. The uniform is part of a new four year contract and represents a saving through collaboration with e...

Flood Awareness Day shall inform fire fighters as well as residents about ways of planning a flood rescue How to plan for and deal with flooding will be the focus for homeowners and businesses thanks to a Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) co-ordinated event later this month. Yalding Parish Council is hosting the multi-agency event at The Lees, Lees Road, Yalding on Saturday, 18 September. It will see organisations from across the county showcase the role both...