North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service News

First Direct Arena in Leeds played host to a major multi-agency exercise, when West Yorkshire’s emergency services came together to test their joint plans in responding to a major incident. live-action exercise West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), West Yorkshire Police, and Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) joined forces with Counter Terrorism Policing North East, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, and Humberside Fire and Rescue Service for a live-action exercise, simula...

Firefighter brothers completed an incredible feat at the weekend when they climbed 69,000 steps to raise more than £3,000 for The Grenfell Foundation and The Firefighters Charity.  Mike and Kev Sutcliffe took on the challenge of climbing Bridgewater Place Tower in Leeds 72 times to symbolize each life lost at the devastating Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Kev, 43, is a firefighter with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) while Mike, 41, is a Watch Manager with North Yorkshir...

Military veterans and firefighters Kev and Mike Sutcliffe are undertaking the challenge to raise funds for The Grenfell Foundation and The Firefighters Charity. Kev works for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) while his brother works for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS). The duo will be conquering Bridgewater Place as they climb 24 stories 72 times. The 24 storeys symbolize the height of Grenfell Tower, and the 72 times symbolizes each life lost at the devastating tow...

Children are never too young to learn fire safety basics, this is the important message North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue wants to communicate this Christmas time. Inspired by the popular ‘elf on the shelf’ tradition which many families participate in, ‘Blame the Flame’ inspires to bring a comical, yet important message to young children across the county.  With the help of parents, carers, teachers, and anyone else who has contact with children aged between 3 years...

The National Collaborative PPE Framework is celebrating five years of success in delivering high-quality PPE to Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) across the UK. Launched in June 2017 to streamline the PPE procurement process, the scheme has since delivered protective clothing to around two-thirds of FRSs across the country, equating to more than 30,000 firefighters. Created with a view to sharing best practices and delivering efficiencies, the National Framework is managed by the National Fire Ch...

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service attended the Emergency Services Day event, as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Weekend celebrations, held at Halifax Piece Hall. Colleagues from North Yorkshire FRS also joined in with their water safety demonstration kit, which was a hit with both children and adults. Firefighters from Rastrick, Halifax, and Todmorden showcased fire engines, water rescue guidance, and wildfire vehicles, while the Calderdale Fire Prevention team was on hand to...

South Yorkshire’s firefighters have been kitted out with a brand new piece of protective clothing, bought as part of a regional collaboration with neighboring fire and rescue services. The multi-function rescue jackets are worn by firefighters at non-fire rescue incidents like road traffic collisions, as well as small fires in the open. visibility, waterproof jackets The high visibility, waterproof jackets are designed to be as lightweight and breathable as possible, helping fire crews...

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service has launched its new Community Risk Profile. The services it provides to the public need to be based on an assessment of current and future risks balanced with an understanding of the communities we serve and the places where they live and work. North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service takes into account the potential impact of the identified risks on the people who visit, live, and work in North Yorkshire and the City of York. Effective and efficient...

Fire services across Yorkshire are re-iterating their advice to road users on what to do when coming across blue light vehicles, with more cars now on the roads due to lockdown restrictions easing. Stay calm, pull over safely and give as much room as possible is the key message from the four brigades–South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, and Humberside. Drivers are also being urged not to perform emergency stops in the middle of a road. This, the services say, can end up slowi...

The number of Police Fire and Crime Commissioners could rise after the PCC elections on 6 May, as the UK Government indicates strong support for this type of governance. Currently, there are four Police Fire and Crime Commissioners in England: Staffordshire Essex Northamptonshire North Yorkshire Julia Mulligan is stepping down in North Yorkshire and Mathew Ellis is likewise in Staffordshire. PCC elections Other PCCs have shown interest in taking on governance in the fire but have bee...

On the 8th June, 2020, the North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service will be opening recruitment process for wholetime firefighters. Between now and then, the fire and rescue service wants to raise awareness of the role of modern day firefighters and encourage applications from all parts of the communities. Raise awareness on fire safety When the recruitment application window opens, the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will be recruiting wholetime firefighters for the following fire st...

Yorkshire Ambulance Service welcomes additional COVID-19 support from fire and rescue colleagues. Firefighter colleagues from the region’s four fire and rescue services will be joining the Yorkshire Ambulance Service to provide additional support during the current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. The 48 volunteers (12 from each fire and rescue service – North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and Humberside) will be carrying out tasks including driving ambulances and othe...

With more of the people spending extra time at home over the next few weeks, either through home working, self-isolating or social distancing and with the added distractions that can bring North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service would like to give its users some safety advice and tips to help them stay home and stay safe. Smoke alarms are essential items! They can help give the user and their family a few minutes warning if a fire breaks out in their home. They should fit smoke alarms on every...

From the 16th October 2019 we will be able to request North Yorkshire Police’s drones to assist us at incident scenes. Thermal imaging drones North Yorkshire Police have been using drones since 2018 to assist with searches, examining crime scenes and at road traffic collisions. The drones use thermal imaging technology and are able to take photographs and videos. They were used earlier this year to assist us at a large fire in a workshop in Northallerton. Group Manager Mark Naylor from...

The National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) Home Safety Week runs from 30th September to the 6th October 2019. The campaign is encouraging households to check smoke alarms are right for their homes needs and will provide them with an early warning in the event of a fire. Most homes have smoke alarms installed (95%) but in nearly 20% of accidental house fires in the UK alarm failed to activate. The most common reasons were the smoke failed to reach the detector was because batteries were eit...

The national Fire Kills Campaign’s Boat Fire Safety Week is from 27th May to 2nd June. During the week North Yorkshire firefighters will be taking the message to boaters – It’s time for all boats to have suitable smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Fire crews will be visiting boat owners and handing out leaflets and advice to help crew members know the risks and how to protect themselves. Timed for the start of the boating season, the heart of the message is that all boat crew m...

Last year during Dementia Action Week, North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service signed the Dementia Friendly Charter, highlighting support to raising awareness of dementia in the community. Fire Engines For Promotion The fire service had two of their fire engines (Richmond and Skipton) liveried with the Alzheimer’s Society Logo As part of the commitment, the fire service had two of their fire engines (Richmond and Skipton) liveried with the Alzheimer’s Society Logo. They also ple...

Starting on the 2nd August 2019, Watch Manager Justin Rowe from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (based at Malton Fire Station), will be running from Bar Harbor, Maine to the United States Marine Corps War Memorial Arlington County in Virginia. He will be running unsupported for a distance of approximately 1,000 miles over 44 days, pulling a Burley Nomad Trailer, carrying all of his equipment. The run will see him making his way through nine eastern states following the Atlantic Coast Cy...

This week we are saying goodbye to Chief Fire Officer Nigel Hutchinson who is retiring from the fire service on the 10th October. Nigel became Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2005, following three years as Deputy Chief Fire Officer. His fire service career began in West Yorkshire in 1983 and during his time there he served in a variety of roles including operations, fire safety and training, holding senior management positions since 1997. Talent...

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service engage with various trade organisations to raise awareness of best practice around fire safety On the 25th May 2017 fire safety inspectors from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service visited a takeaway shop, Mr Happy Oriental Restaurant and takeaway, on Blossom Street, York. During the visit the fire safety inspectors found that there were people living and sleeping on the first and second floors of the building. There was no working...

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service engage with various trade organisations and individual businesses to raise awareness of best practice around fire safety On the 19th October 2017 North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service fire safety inspectors visited a takeaway shop (Naz Spice) at 4 Saxon Place, York. During the visit the fire safety inspectors found that there were three beds at the rear of the takeaway shop. There was no working fire alarm and fire detection in the bui...

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service worked with other fire agencies to release the individual Fire crews recently attended to an incident in Harrogate where an individual was trapped in a hole in the road on Rossett Green Lane. North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Harrogate, Tadcaster and Knaresborough along with specialist teams from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and ambulance teams responded to the call. The incident involved a trench which had c...

Staff will now be able to provide cover for staff shortages as FBU ends ban on overtime Following the Fire Authority’s decision in December 2017 to crew the four tactical response vehicles (TRVs) at Malton, Northallerton, Ripon and Tadcaster, with four staff, positive discussions have been on-going to try to resolve the dispute. These discussions have been successful in relaxing the industrial action, which included an overtime ban and, with effect from 29th March, the...

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s fire safety request to parents North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is appealing to parents to monitor their children’s activities over the Easter holidays, after an increase in the number of fires caused deliberately during the Easter holiday period last year. In 2016, the service attended 86 deliberate fires during March and April, and last year during March and April, the number had increased to 159. Whilst the Nort...

Last Christmas Eve North Yorkshire Fire attended four residential fires and also attended four residential fires on Christmas Day Christmas dinner, wrapping presents, decorating your home – there’s lots to think about this Christmas. But one thing North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Fire Kills campaign are urging local residents to put top of their Christmas lists this year is fire safety. While fire safety is important throughout the year, the extra...

Last year North Yorkshire Fire attended five bonfire/firework related incidents, and this year would like to make it none With Bonfire Night fast approaching, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service wants everyone to remember it for the right reasons; with everyone having a safe and enjoyable time. Enjoying Bonfire Night safely North Yorkshire Fire wants people to enjoy this year’s Bonfire Night celebrations safely, and urge people to go along to an organised event, w...

The TRVs can respond to small incidents and also more serious incidents including house fires From 19th September, for the first time, all six new emergency response vehicles for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are attending emergencies. The Tactical Response Vehicles (TRVs) have been introduced as part of the review of the fire cover, which was undertaken as the number of incidents the Service attends over recent years* has reduced significantly. New technology and...

The events will cover fire-related topics like risk assessment, safety arrangements, general precautions, staff training, maintenance and testing North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will be offering businesses safety messages as part of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) UK Business Safety Week 2017. The week runs from 11th - 17th September and aims to make sure businesses and their staff have the information they need to prevent, protect and respond to fire incident...

The suite boasts various pieces of specialist equipment used in both fitness testing and rehabilitation North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service recently opened a state of the art fitness and rehabilitation suite, which is located in Thirsk, at the ‘Joint Transport and Logistics Hub’ shared by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and North Yorkshire Police. Specialist equipment The suite boasts various pieces of specialist equipment used in both fitness testing...

The Fire Authority’s proposed model of governance would deliver greater collaboration with a range of partners, including the police The Fire Authority Chair, Councilors Backhouse, has issued the following statement, setting out the Fire Authority’s position: The Fire Authority considers that the PCC has not set out an evidenced case for an irreversible transfer of governance from the Fire Authority to the PCC. Instead we believe it would be better if the PCC were...