West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service News

People across the region are facing more flooding, rain and freezing weather over the next few days. The Environment Agency has issued two flood alerts for the county and fire chiefs are warning that icy water and floods could be a lethal combination. It comes as the Met Office puts a yellow weather warning in place as the risk of snow and hail showers increase leading to icy conditions and disruption to transport.  Hazardous conditions The cold but settled weather looks likely to be wit...

High inflation rates and vastly increased energy bills could mean less for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority to spend next year. Now the public is being asked if they would support an extra £5 average precept on their council tax bill to pay for fire service costs. This would allow the service to be able to keep its current commitments, all aimed at making West Yorkshire safer for all who live, work, and visit it. The Authority is the publicly accountable body responsible for provi...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) worked with police, local authorities, youth workers, and schools on prevention activities in a bid to tackle the problem of the misuse of fireworks and attacks on firefighters. These partnerships led to a reduction in call-outs for fire crews on November 5 being compared to recent years. In the lead-up to Bonfire Night West Yorkshire Police and WYFRS worked together to hand out consequence cards to youths in areas where there are high levels of...

The 27-year-old horse had been enjoying a Saturday morning walk in the field at Calder Farm Equestrian when he disappeared from view at around 10.30 am. He was discovered below ground level, trapped in a sinkhole, and immediately West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) were called. The Technical Rescue Team from WYFRS worked with a vet and put a head collar on the horse, covered his eyes and put cotton wool in his ears to help him keep calm. Prince was then sedated as an excavator from a...

While their families were enjoying their Christmas dinner, exchanging presents and celebrating the start of 2023, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) staff were attending incidents which included rescuing a toddler from a locked car and dealing with an exploded wood burner. Control staff and watch crews worked in shifts to ensure every call was answered and dealt with quickly, while on-call firefighters had to leave family and friends to deal with each emergency. Figures show th...

People who have bought e-bikes and e-scooters as Christmas gifts are being warned of the dangers following several fires across the UK and in West Yorkshire. The blazes are believed to have started in homes where the device is being charged and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is urging owners to take extra care. lithium battery concerns In December a fire at a home in Luxor View, Harehills in Leeds turned out to be caused by a lithium battery from an e-bike that had been...

The duo is senior members of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) and they have been recognized for their contribution at both a local and national level in the prestigious New Year’s Honors list announced by Buckingham Palace. Reforms to fire safety were introduced earlier this year by the Government to strengthen fire and rescue services, putting most of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations into law. King’s Fire Service Medal Senior Fire Protection Manager Chris...

Masoom Miah, of Frizinghall, rushed to the aid of his neighbor, when he saw her at the window of her smoke-filled bedroom on the morning of October 8th. The property, a three-bedroom semi-detached house, was starting to fill with smoke after the woman had used a blow torch as part of a DIY project. His quick-thinking actions led to him rescuing the woman from the house and this month, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) held a commendation ceremony at Shipley Fire Station, where Mr....

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has opened its vault of pictures to give people an insight into some of the incredible photos taken over the last 150 years. The images are being revealed as WYFRS undergoes an incredible modernization with development to include a state-of-the-art urban search and rescue training center. The new sustainable headquarters, training center, and fire station will ensure firefighter learning in West Yorkshire is future-proof. Most iconic and dramatic...

Christina Nugent, 55, started working with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) when she was 41 years old. The mum-of-two from Pudsey has been based at Stanningley Fire Station and says she would encourage other women to just “go for it” if they are thinking about becoming a firefighter. Her commitment to helping women into the service is paying off – just this month seven female trainee firefighters joined the service. “It’s wonderful to see more women j...

Bruce the dog was out for a walk with puppy River, his thoroughbred daughter, on Wednesday afternoon when he decided to scamper across a frozen fishing lake at Green Lane, Horbury, before catapulting into the freezing water. The dog managed to get to the island at the center of the lake - but it was thanks to River that help arrived quickly. The eight-month-old puppy alerted professional dog walker Sharon Skinner to the danger Bruce was in, and she immediately rang West Yorkshire Fire and Rescu...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has issued advice about going too close to frozen water. They are warning that walking next to water may be slippery, and with plummeting temperatures across the region, the dangers of falling into water are at their highest. The warnings come after four boys, aged six, eight, 10, and 11, were rushed to hospital in critical condition, suffering cardiac arrests after having fallen through the ice at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull at 2.30 pm on Sunday....

Fire crews rescued two men trapped in a burning building in the early hours following a fire believed to have been caused by a lithium battery igniting. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were called just after 2 am this morning to a fire on the ground floor of a three-story mid-terraced property at Luxor View, Harehills in Leeds. Three engines attended, one from Leeds and two from Killingbeck. breathing apparatus After using a jet to tackle the blaze, which had engulfed half the home, fi...

Crews from Halifax and Illingworth fire stations attended the incident at Howard Street in Halifax at around 2 pm on December 1st, when a halogen heater set fire to a dog’s bedding. halogen heater fire The heater had been keeping the dog and her puppy warm but had started a fire in the kitchen of the terraced property. While the dog had managed to escape through a hatch in the back door, firefighters searched for any puppies in the smoke-filled house. Crew commander - Neal Andrews-Parry...

A transformational headquarters, training center, and new fire station are at the heart of ambitious modernization plans for the region’s fire service.  Work on West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s (WYFRS) Birkenshaw site is currently underway after planning was approved. Dramatic footage released shows the demolition of old buildings is moving at pace with plans for the whole building to be ready by 2024. £28.6 million sustainable development The £28.6 millio...

It was one of the most daring missions of World War II and, a West Yorkshire Firefighter will be joining in a tribute to a group of brave Marines, nicknamed the Cockleshell Heroes. As part of the 80th anniversary, firefighter Kris Whitworth will spend the next few days retracing the route taken by the marines which includes Halifax’s David Moffatt, who died during the operation in December 1942. tribute by retracing Operation Frankton saw ten marines damage six enemy ships in the port o...

With the FIFA World Cup Tournament and people starting to attend Christmas parties, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is urging people to be careful, when they are out at night. The warning comes as the Royal Life Saving Society promotes its national 'Don’t Drink and Drown' campaign, which encourages people to make smart decisions when around water and under the influence of alcohol. The campaign urges people to think about their friends and to help them return home safe...

Firefighters in Huddersfield braved the cold weather to raise more than £6,500 with a street collection for Children in Need.  BBC charity Crews, their colleagues, and other volunteers carried out a bucket collection outside the Fire Station and in the town center to collect cash for the BBC charity, which supports disadvantaged children and young people in the UK. Personnel from Huddersfield Fire Station have carried out collections since 2000 and the team was thrilled when the co...

Fifteen years on from the death of a West Yorkshire teenager, a hard-hitting roadshow warned youngsters to be careful when getting behind the wheel.  The Calderdale Road Safety Roadshow, organized by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), was attended by more than 730 students aged 15 and 16 from schools across the borough, who were shown the consequences of driving without care and attention. road safety education initiatives Recent figures show that thanks to road safety educa...

As part of Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is urging people to make sure alarms are in good working order. Last month, new government regulations came into force, making it a legal requirement for landlords to install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. The requirements are enforced by local authorities, who can impose a fine of up to £5,000, if a landlord fails to comply with a remedial notice. carbon monoxide alarms Family of six was vacated fro...

For the first time since the 1970s, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is now recruiting to increase its firefighter headcount. This £1.5m investment is a direct result of the increase in the council tax precept last year. The service, like all public sector bodies, has experienced significant cuts to its budget since 2010, when austerity measures began. As a result, firefighter numbers have reduced over the last 12 years from 1,490 to 900. This was through not replacing firefighters...

The exercise - ‘Houston, we have a problem’ saw teams from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) putting their skills to the test at Doncaster Sheffield Airport. The training exercise was based around an emergency landing of a Boeing 747 due to an engine fire and crews from Wakefield, Ossett, and Pontefract took part. Crews worked alongside Doncaster Sheffield Fire Service crews to resolve the incident, including dealing with an aircraft fuel fire in the engine, making entr...

“Huge honor,” said Fire Officers who were given a chance to be with the new King at the Cenotaph, as they led civilian staff in honoring the servicemen and women who died in past conflicts.  attending the parade Firefighter, Christina Nugent and Dave Walton, Deputy Chief fire Officer at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), took part in the parade, which was attended by thousands of people including members of the royal family, veterans, MPs, and the Prime Minister....

The former firefighter - Tony Firth was acknowledged at an award ceremony for the fire prevention work he has carried out over the last 15 years. Tony won the Outstanding Contribution Award at the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Celebrating Prevention Awards 2022. The father of two and grandfather of seven joined West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) in 1977 and he said that one incident in particular made him determined to focus on fire prevention. Wearing protective gear It wa...

The former Firefighter - Tony is being acknowledged at an award ceremony for the fire prevention work he has conducted over the last 15 years. Tony is a finalist in the first-ever National Fire Chiefs Council’s Celebrating Prevention Awards 2022 in their Outstanding Contribution Award category. Tony's determination  The father of two and grandfather of seven joined West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) in 1977 and he said that one incident in particular made him determin...

Fire crews were called to fewer incidents over the Bonfire weekend than in previous years, despite videos of attacks on emergency service workers circulating. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has reported that the number of call-out crews attended on November 5, 2022, was down compared to recent years. Bonfire Night's anti-social behavior Attacks on emergency workers, including on police, have been shared across media channels highlighting Bonfire Night's anti-social behav...

Consequence cards will be handed out to youths in areas where there are high levels of attacks on emergency workers. The cards have been welcomed by Fire Chiefs at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), who have seen a high level of attacks on crews in recent weeks. consequences of attacks Youth workers will be handing out the cards, which remind young people of the consequences they face from attacks on emergency service workers. Not only will they be arrested and charged with an o...

Danny Kesler, who works as a security guard at Asda House in Leeds, was on duty in the early hours of Sunday morning when he noticed a man walking alongside the River Aire, near the rear of the building on Great Wilson Street. He witnessed him fall into the river and immediately ran from the security CCTV desk to the riverside. Using a length of cable he had managed to find, he threw this down to the man, shouting to him to grab on. The man gripped this cable along with the side wall at the ban...

Each year the government is seeing an increase in the number of attacks on fire service crews–with figures the highest they have been in over ten years. This year there were 983 attacks-an increase of 5% from the previous year when there were 934 incidents, and a big jump from two years ago when there were 899 attacks. The figures from the Fire and Rescue Workforce and Pensions Statistics are gathered from the Home Office’s Incident Recording System and cover the financial year runn...

Fire officers say that thousands of hours a year are wasted on calls about small bonfires in gardens, building sites, and farmland across West Yorkshire.  Area Manager, Scott Donegan at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) says that if people call them to inform them a fire is being lit, it will stop firefighters attending false alarms where they are not required. Recent findings Recent figures show that hundreds of calls are being made about bonfires and controlled burning, wa...