Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service - Experts & Thought Leaders

Firefighters and staff have been praised for keeping communities across Tyne and Wear safe this Bonfire Night. Senior officers at Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service (TWFRS) have revealed the busy Bonfire weekend passed without serious incident. TWFRS saw a 1.1% decrease of total incidents from the 1st to the 6th November (Bonfire reporting period) across Tyne & Wear, when compared with the same time last year. Pockets of anti-social behavior, and calls about illegal bonfires, meant it was still a busy night for firefighters and Fire Control staff. Fire safety during Bonfire Weekend But TWFRS Control still received 371 emergency calls on November 5th alone – an increase on last year But TWFRS Control still received 371 emergency calls on November 5th alone – an increase on last year, which recorded 356 calls. That included over 170 calls about potentially dangerous bonfires; as a Service we’ve received no reports of any members of the public being seriously injured. Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service experienced 183 deliberate secondary fires during the bonfire reporting period of 1st – 6th November, 2022, across Tyne & Wear, when compared to 178 incidents in 2021, which accounts to an increase of 2.8%. Unfortunately between 1st – 6th November, 2022 the TWFRS attended 7 incidents where firefighting crews were attacked while performing their duties, a 40% increase against the same period in 2021. TWFRS praise staff and community A senior officer at the Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service has praised staff, but also thanked the community for showing them support. TWFRS’ Area Manager, Richie Rickaby said: “We would like to applaud all of our staff and crews for their effort and commitment throughout the Bonfire Night season and beyond, as ever risking their lives to protect the lives of others. This message of thanks transcends over to our blue light colleagues and partners across the region.” Richie Rickaby reflects on the attacks on firefighters. He said, “We will never condone the deliberate and malicious actions of a minority of the local community, who take it upon themselves to provoke and attack the very people who are there to protect them. This shouldn’t eclipse the tremendous work that was delivered with schools and groups across the region that produced some wonderful results.” TWFRS’ hard-hitting Darker Nights campaign Leading up to the Bonfire weekend, Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service had been running a hard-hitting Darker Nights campaign offering crucial community safety advice. This saw Prevention and Education staff and Firefighters deliver bespoke lessons to schools with support from partners. Thousands of children received vital life-saving advice as members of TWFRS attended 57 schools across the region. TWFRS’ Area Manager, Richie Rickaby stated, “Our hard-hitting Darker Nights campaign definitely hit a raw nerve as the graphic imagery showed the potential serious injuries and disfigurement that some young people could experience if they were to start deliberate fires, and the effects it could have not only on themselves, but on their family and friends.” Sharing key information via leaflets and social media The Service would like to thank our partners and colleagues for their support throughout the Darker Nights campaign" He adds, “We all have to appreciate that if we do something wrong then there are sometimes horrific consequences that we have to endure. In this case, saying to young people they wouldn’t being able to do the things that they enjoy the most like, playing computer games and on their mobile phones due to the life-changing injuries they may sustain.” Richie Rickaby continues, “This was part of the important key messages that we were able to successfully share through our leaflets, social media and face-to-face communications with thousands of students across Tyne and Wear. The Service would like to thank our partners and colleagues for their support throughout the Darker Nights campaign, which will continue in to the winter months ahead.” TWFRS partners with other government agencies Throughout the Darker Nights campaign, Tyne and Wear Fire & Rescue Service (TWFRS) worked in partnership with Northumbria Police, North East Ambulance Service and Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service. TWFRS also worked with other strategic partners, including all of the local authorities in Tyne and Wear, the Office of the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness, Nexus and regional housing associations, such as Your Homes Newcastle and Gentoo.

Staff from Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s (NFRS) Fire Safety Team carried out a routine fire service audit on premises known as the China Cook, in Waterloo Road. Following the visit, a Prohibition Notice was served on November 26, 2021, preventing the use of upper floors for sleeping. It was issued as sleeping materials including beds and bedding were discovered on the first floor. Breach of a Prohibition Notice A follow-up visit on 10 December 2021, revealed a breach of the Notice, as NFRS discovered a person in bed asleep on the prohibited first floor. A representative of the company trading as the China Cook attended Newcastle Magistrates Court on 28 April 2022, and pleaded guilty to the breach of a Prohibition Notice served by the Fire Safety Team. A financial penalty of £3,418 was imposed. NFRS Group Manager for Protection, Richard Leighton said: “The means of escape from the first floor and loft area within the premises were inadequate in the event of a fire on the premises. If there was a fire, this would prevent people escaping safely. During our follow-up visit reviewing sleeping within the premises, we discovered three beds on the first floor and one within the loft area. This left us with no option but to take the case to court.”

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS), Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have joined forces to launch FireStoppers – a new way for North East communities to provide anonymous information on deliberate fires. All three Services have been significantly affected by deliberate fires: CDDFRS – 2695 deliberate fires (figures for the year ending December 2018) NFRS – has seen a 21.5% increase to 265 deliberate fires (first quarter 2019 compared to 2018) TWFRS – 5722 deliberate fires – an annual increase of 2% (figures for April 2018 – March 2019) Reporting deliberate fires via telephone line FireStoppers allows people who have information on deliberate fires to report them via a telephone lineWhile it is clear that all three Services have to manage different levels of deliberate fires, these are fires that shouldn’t be happening in the first place and are placing additional stress on emergency services. Worryingly the region is twice the national average for deliberate primary fires (more serious fires that harm people or cause damage to property) and 3.5 times the national rate for secondary fires (small outdoor fires, not involving people or property.) FireStoppers allows people who have information on deliberate fires to report them via a telephone line or an online form, without having to provide their name or other contact details. It is being managed by the independent charity CrimeStoppers, who after receiving an anonymous call or completed online form, will create a report that brings together all the information, removing any identifiable details of the person who has contacted them. The report is then sent to the appropriate police force. Reduction in arson and deliberate fires CDDFRS Chief Fire Officer Stuart Errington said: “Following the introduction of the dedicated FireStoppers telephone number in the Easington area, last year, I was pleased to see a reduction in the cases of arson and deliberate fires, which had been increasing in that area over recent years. The FireStoppers telephone line allows the local community being affected by fires to report information and remain completely anonymous. This is a fantastic opportunity for local people to help prevent arson and deliberate fires from damaging local community" “I am very proud that County Durham and Darlington FRS was the UK’s first fire and rescue service to use this initiative and that we are now working with our fire and rescue partners in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland to expand FireStoppers across the region. “I would like to encourage everyone with information relating to a deliberate fire to call FireStoppers and report it, with the confidence that they will remain completely anonymous. This is a fantastic opportunity for local people to help prevent arson and deliberate fires from damaging their local community.” Providing intelligence to identify perpetrators Historically, few people have come forward with information on deliberate fire setting and arson within their communities. It is hoped that with the introduction of FireStoppers, local residents will be able to provide valuable intelligence that will help to identify the perpetrators and act as a deterrent. NFRS Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mark McCarty said: “The new FireStoppers program gives people the power to speak up anonymously and help reduce the amount of deliberate fires within our area. Our crews spend a lot of time dealing with arson attacks when our time could be better spent elsewhere"“Our crews spend a lot of time dealing with arson attacks when our time could be better spent elsewhere. Deliberate fires affect all of our communities, this new initiative will no doubt help reduce the impact and let us focus on our prevention and protection work across the county.” Life-Risks due to deliberate fires Deliberate fires are not only a blight to the local environment and economy, they also present life-risks to those setting the fires and anyone in the vicinity of the fire. There are countless examples of community areas that can no longer be accessed or have been temporarily put out of use because they have been the focus of a deliberate fire. TWFRS Assistant Chief Fire Officer, John Baines commented: “By collaborating with our two neighbouring fire and rescue services, we are committed to work together to tackle deliberate fires – a problem that is affecting local communities and our local economy and placing undue pressure on fire service resources. “Whether it is wheelie bins being set on fire, or cars being burned out – deliberate fires scar our local environment and present risks to life and health. I believe that FireStoppers will give local residents an effective channel to provide information on deliberate fires which will have a positive impact on reducing their occurrence.”