West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service News

A three-year-old boy who called emergency services after his mother was injured, was given a surprise tour of a fire engine today, on Channel 4's ‘Steph's Packed Lunch’.  Tommy – who is a huge fan of Fireman Sam was shown around the engine by Leeds crews after the story appeared on TV to highlight the importance of children understanding what to do in an emergency.   importance of 999 Tommy's mum - Kayleigh Boffey said she was 'more than proud' of her son - To...

Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras are now being trialed by operational staff in the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. The pilot scheme has been brought in with the intent to covertly capture video and audio during duty. There are several volunteers within the service (including workers in the Fire Prevention team) who will be trialing the cameras.  BWV trial use Area Manager for Operations Support - Dave Teggart said, “There are several reasons we have decided to trial the u...

Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras are being trialed by operational staff in West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. The pilot scheme has been brought in with the intent to overtly capture video and audio during duty. Several volunteers within the service (including workers in the Fire Prevention team) will be trialing the cameras.  BWV trials Area Manager for Operations Support Dave Teggart said, “There are several reasons we have decided to trial the use of BWV. Having the recordings...

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...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are gearing up for Road Safety Week, the UK’s biggest annual road safety campaign. The theme for 2021, to be held from 15-21 November, is ‘Road Safety Heroes,’ celebrating the work of road safety professionals and explaining how users can all help make journeys safer. The service is partnering with West Yorkshire Police, National Highways, and local authorities across the region to champion road safety and reduce death, injury, and a...

Most of the weekend’s fireworks festivities went off without incident, with the public attending many of the organized displays across West Yorkshire. Bonfire week Bonfire week is always one of the busiest of the year for fire crews and this year was no exception, with the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service control room receiving 1672 calls from 17.00 Thursday 4th November to 00.00 Sunday 7th November. The crews attended 374 incidents across the region. emergency response People f...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued three top safety tricks to help prevent unnecessary Halloween hazards. Top Halloween Safety Tips Working with West Yorkshire Police and other partners, the service is campaigning for people to be mindful about keeping themselves and others safe in the build-up to Sunday, October 31st. “We want everyone to have a happy Halloween this week, but we’re reminding people how easily fires can start at this fun time of year,” said We...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service announced that the fire service has issued three top safety tricks, in order to help prevent unnecessary Halloween hazards during the festive period. Working with West Yorkshire Police and other partners, the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is campaigning for people to be mindful about keeping themselves and others safe, in the build up to Halloween, Sunday, October 31, 2021. Safety tips to prevent Halloween hazards The West Yorkshire Fire and Res...

The Fire Fighters Charity has featured an interview with Sarah Goodall, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's Crew Manager, in recognition of International Control Room Week.  Sarah's experience Sarah Goodall shares why she's so proud to work at WYFRS and some of her experiences over her 21 years of service.  “There is nothing more precious than life. Knowing you have contributed to that, is worth more than any words can describe,” says Sarah Goodall.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are urging bonfire revelers to make the most of the celebrations while making safety a priority this bonfire night. With coronavirus restrictions lifted, the annual festivities offer a different picture from last year with dozens of organized events to be held around West Yorkshire – providing a safer alternative to fires and fireworks at home. The Fire Service is working with local partners including councils, West Yorkshire Police, and Yorkshire Am...

Ilkley’s longest-serving firefighter, Watch Commander - Alex Watson, is preparing to take a well-deserved retirement. Following an outstanding 41 years of service, Alex is also one of the longest-serving on-call firefighters in the whole of West Yorkshire. Alex Watson's retirement has prompted him to encourage others to consider joining the service as an on-call firefighter to support and protect local communities, including in his native Ilkley. meeting the criteria Alex Watson said, &...

The new station has two bays adjoining the welfare accommodation which include a kitchen/dining space, office spaces and a gym area. The steel framed, brickwork constructed station also has some panelling and pre-finished, low maintenance windows, roof edging and other finishes. It offers a brilliant community facility, crewed by wholetime firefighters, providing emergency cover 24/7. The development program for the station began in May 2019, and culminated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony att...

The brand new, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient Fire Station in Wakefield has officially opened in a ceremony attended by local dignitaries and fire service staff. The 2.9 million pound project, located on Brunswick Street saw the existing fire station demolished and a smaller fit for purpose and more energy-efficient replacement created with a much lower running cost. Design of the new station The new station has two bays adjoining the welfare accommodation which include a kitchen/di...

Firefighters across the Yorkshire and Humber region have revealed new, advanced fire kits following a joint procurement deal. As part of a tri-service agreement, all firefighters in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and the Humberside region will begin wearing new fire tunics and trousers. For crews in South Yorkshire and Humberside, the personal protective equipment (PPE) revamp will also feature a pioneering, multi-function rescue jacket to reflect the changing role of the modern firefighter....

Yorkshire Firefighters, a new BBC Two series commissioned by BBC England, will light up viewers’ television screens in summer. This unique four-part series takes viewers onto the frontline with the men and women keeping their communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a rare chance to go behind the scenes with this inspirational band of West Yorkshire firefighters. real-life emergencies Filmed using the latest technology, viewers will be brought closer than ever before to...

In early April 2021, when industrial fires broke out in two different locations, they both had the same devastating outcome. On April 10, a fire started in a furniture factory in County Antrim, in the United Kingdom, damaging the building. Two days later, a fire swept through a bed-making factory in Dewsbury, UK. Neither building contained a sprinkler system, nor businesses that are now counting the cost of the damage and dealing with the disruption to their livelihoods. Once again, they must q...

The fire and rescue service is thanking partners as the incident on Marsden Moor is brought to a close. Teams from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), other emergency partners, the National Trust, Kirklees Council, landowners and gamekeepers, Mountain Rescue, Plymouth Brethren Response team, and other groups joined together to tackle the blaze following a call to WYFRS at around 7 pm on Sunday, 25 April 2021.  Day and ni...

When a fire broke out on site, more than 400 staff were evacuated in less than three minutes from the Hull factory of offsite specialist Walker Modular. Five fire engines were called to the scene after the alarm was raised at the bathroom pod manufacturer. Company owner Shane Walker told the Enquirer: “I’m so proud of my staff and the fire service for dealing so well with a difficult situation. We liaised with the fire service when we designed the factory and all the fire suppressio...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority (WYFRS) have given the go ahead to relocate the fire station in Hightown Road, in Cleckheaton, to WYFRS Headquarters in Birkenshaw, United Kingdom. The decision was made at the Full Authority meeting held on September 18, 2020 and will see an investment of £1.3 million to build a new facility, which will be closer to the more high risk areas, where fires and other emergencies tend to occur often. New Fire station The new station will also provide...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) and Yorkshire Water have created a video warning of the dangers of open water as part of the national Drowning Prevention Week, which runs between June 12 and 19. The video highlights some of the hidden dangers present within rivers, canals, reservoirs, and other types of watercourses. Drowning Prevention Week Drowning Prevention Week was created by the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK and the campaign is in its 7th year. Firefighters in West...

With recent developments in the approach out of lockdown, Fire and Rescue Services nationwide have been publishing useful advice and guidance for commercial/non-domestic buildings. A recent news item published by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) for example, announced a new fire safety leaflet “Returning to Work after COVID-19 Lockdowns” noting important fire safety measures that should continue to be followed to adhere to legislation. new safety measures BAFE has...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has taken delivery of 32 new vehicles that will improve our emergency response and offer more flexibility in how the Service delivers fire prevention across the region. Toyota Hilux 4x4 vehicles The public will see the new Fire Service marked Toyota Hilux 4x4 vehicles out on the roads of West Yorkshire, as they are utilized to respond to emergencies alongside, not instead of, the usual fire engines we are all used to seeing. The new vehicles will...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has taken delivery of 32 new vehicles that will improve their emergency response and offer more flexibility in how the service delivers fire prevention across the region. The public will see the new Toyota Hilux 4×4 vehicles out on the roads of West Yorkshire, as they are utilized to respond to emergencies alongside, not instead of, the usual fire engines that the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service uses. New vehicles for fire service Th...

WYFRS recommends reviewing the fire assessment as soon as possible after returning from lockdown and systems and provisions are maintained to check they are working correctly. Stephen Adams, Chief Executive–BAFE, commented: “We are pleased to see Fire and Rescue Service information mirrors what BAFE has been advising as we begin the process of returning to a ‘new normal’. Many business premises will have changed the way they operate due to new coronavirus safety measures...

WYFRS recommends to review the fire assessment as soon as possible after everyone returns from lockdown and systems and provisions are maintained to check they are working correctly. Stephen Adams, Chief Executive – BAFE, commented: “We are pleased to see Fire and Rescue Service information mirrors what BAFE has been advising as we begin the process of returning to a ‘new normal’. Many business premises will have changed the way they operate due to new coronavirus safety...

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...

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority (SYFRA) has appointed a new Deputy Chief Fire Officer. Chris Kirby was appointed following a selection process, which included a written application, leadership team presentation, interview by staff group and trade union representatives and panel interview with members of the Fire Authority. Barnsley-born Chris Kirby will join South Yorkshire later this spring from West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service, which he first joined as a Firefighter in 199...

West Yorkshire Fire was first called to a fire at 1317 today, on the ground floor of the Speedibake building on Chald Lane in Wakefield. By 1550, 75% of the ground floor had become consumed by the fire. About 140 firefighters were at the scene from across the country and it is clear the fire service was stretched for available water using a nearby park lake to secure additional supplies for their efforts. There were no reported injuries. Fire Service Statement In a statement released at 1800,...

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is celebrating after receiving a resounding ‘good’ report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The independent assessors visited WYFRS this summer as part of a national inspection program of all 45 fire and rescue services in England. effectiveness, efficiency The results of the tranche three of the inspections have been published, reporting on 15 more of the fire and rescue s...

To mark Road Safety Week (18 November- 24 November) emergency services, including West Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Yorkshire Air Ambulance have joined together to offer a unique insight into the work of the emergency services when at the scene of a collision. Role of public and firefighters The video features PC Wayne Mason, Firefighter - John Arey, and Chief Pilot - Steve Waudby, talking about their role at the scene and why they would require a road to be clo...