Regional fire control centre set to open in 2011
Despite opposition from the firefighters’ union, it looks like the proposed fire control centre will finally open in May 2011.
There has been widespread condemnation of the centre in south-west of England, which was first announced to go ahead back in 2005, as it is costing taxpayers each day the building is empty.
The Fire Brigades Union now insists that as the government is moving away from regionalisation, the centre is no longer a workable option.
John Drake, of the Fire Brigades Union, explained:
“There are still huge issues over the technology, which I don’t think will be overcome.
“No-one in the fire service other than a handful of senior managers think that these regional centres are a good idea.
“They may be cheaper in the short-term, but we don’t see any benefit coming to the public or firefighters, indeed in the long-term they will be an extra burden on the tax-payer.”
But contractor EADS is set to move forward with the project as it has been given the go ahead by Whitehall.
The opening of the new regional fire control centre would lead to the closure of existing centres in Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, with the work brought across to the Taunton-based centre by March 2012.
Get your portable appliances tested
Did you know that businesses are obliged by law to make sure that the electrical equipment on their work premises are tested regularly by a competent person? When it comes to PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) it is necessary that your company complies with the current health and safety regulations in the workplace.
In order for your electrical equipment such as computers, kettles, drills and heaters etc. to be tested in accordance with the four acts of legislation, you can now count on fire training specialists to carry out this important task for you.
The equipment will be tested by competent engineers using specialist PAT testing machines and you will be shown a report from the tests on a printout. Any faults can be identified during testing and a prohibition of use notice will have to be put in place until repairs have been carried out.
By getting the equipment tested on a regular basis, the frequency of which is dependent on the type of appliance, but should be done at least annually, you can ensure that you meet your legal obligations. If you don’t and you should experience a fire on the premises, the HSE or fire services will check your records to see when the equipment was last tested, possibly resulting in action being taken.
Ensuring fire safety in legal practices and professional institutions
Fire safety should be an important consideration for every business. However, some industries require a more tailored approach when it comes to how these procedures are implemented and the specialist knowledge that is required by staff.
There are a number of issues surrounding fire safety in legal practices and professional institutions that require an appropriate fire safety system to be in place because of the kinds of information that these businesses hold.
With the huge amount of legal and sensitive documentation stored on these premises, this would have serious repercussions in the event of a fire taking place. This would also create a situation where there is a lot of fuel to feed the blaze and allowing it to spread through the building.
Due to these high risks, fire safety is of paramount importance to any such organisation. A Fire Safety in Legal Practices and Professional Institutions course would therefore be welcome in covering all these areas and the issues specific to this type of business.
When sending staff on a course like this, you can rest assured that the fire safety training will be carried out by highly experienced trainers with a strong background in the fire service.