North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue – Keeping Ripon Safe
Connecting and collaborating is at the heart of all our work at HADCA and, as one member of our network recently said: ‘Connecting Ripon plays a vital role for us in the sharing of knowledge, ideas, and support. Working together is something that all our organisations can benefit from.'
So, we were very pleased when North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue joined our network this year.
Recently, the new Ripon Fire and Police Station opened after a few months of refurbishment and renovation; this building is the new home for both North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service in the area. There are about 25 people working in the fire station team, across 3 duty systems.
Their work in our community involves much more than responding to fires. One of the team’s main areas of work is preventing fires from occurring in the first place. Last year, the service completed over 4,000 Home Fire Safety Visits in people’s homes; this year they’re aiming to visit over 5,000 homes.
Home Fire Safety Visits are carried out by either operational staff on a fire engine or by specialist fire prevention team members. Taking into account lifestyle and features of the home, guidance is given to help reduce the risk and severity of a fire. This can include identifying potential fire risks in the home; giving information about bedtime routines to keep safe at night and help to create an escape plan. Smoke alarms are checked (and installed if necessary) and guidance given on testing them.
As part of these visits, advice about health and wellbeing can also be given. This may include where to find support and further advice on giving up smoking; avoiding falls; keeping your home warm and living with dementia.
Ripon Station Manager, Adam Farrow said: “Our local data and national data suggests that you are more vulnerable to fire if you have a physical and/or mental disability, if you have a care support need, if you are over 65, if you or someone else in the property smokes or if you have children under 5. We want to offer everyone fire safety advice to keep people safe, but if you or someone you know falls into these categories, we especially want to see you to help keep you safe.”
North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service also has a specialist Prevention team to engage with partners and link in with more rural communities. Laura Hodgson, Partnership Manager, has been working with our Connecting Ripon Network to link with charities and groups, who can help raise awareness. Fire safety talks are offered to groups and the team are working with local partners, for example with Ripon YMCA on an event for young people on keeping safe this summer.
If would like to find out more, are interested in arranging a group talk or booking a home fire safety visit then please call 01609 780150 or visit www.northyorksfire.gov.uk.