Shortage of fire risk assessors in UK
A lack of competent fire risk assessors is causing great concern amongst UK landlords says the Peabody Housing Association.
Landlords are finding it very difficult to find assessors that they can trust to carry out vital safety assessments on their properties.
The claim was made by Robert Groom, Peabody’s fire safety and emergency planning manager, at an event last month in association with the London Fire Brigade. The events main aim was to see how effectively the Regulatory Reform Order of 2005 is being enforced.
Emmerdale to screen the tragic consequences of arson
It has been revealed that a tragic fire is to tear through the homes of the inhabitants of the soap Emmerdale in a shocking storyline to be aired this coming January.
In a move that will have the soap’s many viewers guessing, two as yet unnamed characters of the show will lose their lives in the blaze with more left injured, which was started deliberately.
The events that unfold will affect the whole village as they try to come to terms with the fire which devastates a whole row of cottages.
Series producer of the soap, Gavin Blyth, said:
“This is going to be one of the most dramatic and tragic events ever to rock Emmerdale and no-one will be untouched by the fire’s devastating consequences.
“The whole village will be thrown together for these gripping and heart-wrenching episodes which will launch us into an unmissable 2011.”
While Emmerdale may only be a TV show, the points it raises regarding fire awareness and the threat posed by arson further highlights the need for fire safety to be given serious consideration, whether you are a business or home owner.
In fact, if you own your own business it is a legal requirement to ensure that members of your staff are trained as fire wardens and go on an appropriate fire training course.
Knutsford pupil wins chance to be firefighter for the day
A primary school pupil enjoyed the opportunity to see what it is like to be a firefighter after winning a Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service competition.
Ella Sheard, a Year Six pupil from Goostrey Primary School, received a VIP invitation to Knutsford Fire Station, where she could take along her classmates, by beating the rest of the competition with her environmental poster design.
By winning the competition, the 10-year-old and the rest of the class got to visit the station where they went on a tour and saw how the fire safety equipment on the appliance is used. The pupils also got to use the fire hose on the drill yard. A teacher also tried out new firefighter equipment in the form of the gold firekit.
The unitary safety manager for Cheshire East, Sue Cleaver, said:
“The competition proved to be very successful with some great designs being submitted by pupils from all ages. “One of the main things the judges were looking for was a clear fire safety message and good colourful graphics and Ella’s poster had both these elements.
“Her poster was chosen out of hundreds and I would like to thank everyone who entered our competition and for making it a great success.”
The campaign was set up to warn the people of Cheshire about the dangers associated with arson fires and how they can harm the environment.
Yapton mobile home fire ends in fatality
It has been reported that a blaze at a West Sussex mobile home park has caused the death of a man in his sixties.
Fire crews attended the scene at Woodlands Park in Main Road, Yapton, around 4pm on Sunday the 21st of November to find the man’s body in the lounge area of his caravan, which had become filled with smoke.
The firefighters had to use breathing apparatus to enter the mobile home when they found the pensioner and declared him dead at the scene.
A West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman explained that the fire is not being treated as suspicious.
A spokeswoman for Sussex Police confirmed:
“On arrival, the caravan was billowing out copious amounts of smoke.
“Firefighters used breathing equipment to enter the property and a man in his mid-60s was found in the lounge area and sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
“Sussex Police and West Sussex Fire Service are working together to establish the exact cause of the fire.”
The West Sussex fire crews who attended the blaze at the static caravan park included representatives from Littlehampton, Bognor and Arundel.
The investigation into the fire is being carried out by police and fire officers.
Harlech hotel fire was started deliberately
It has now been confirmed by fire investigators that a blaze which destroyed part of a derelict hotel in Gwynedd was the victim of an arson attack.
The fire at Ffordd Newydd in Harlech on the 20th of November caused substantial damage to the building, with the destruction of a store room adding to the severe smoke damage in the hallway.
This “serious crime” was condemned by North Wales fire service’s John Morgan who explained:
“Deliberate fires are a serious form of anti-social behaviour and this will not be tolerated.
“North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is working closely with the police and other partner agencies to try and eradicate the problem.
“These deliberate incidents are putting extra pressure on fire and rescue resources.
“Whilst crews are busy dealing with these incidents, there could be a real need for the resources to attend a life-threatening situation elsewhere in the county.
“Deliberate fires are a serious crime and, in conjunction with North Wales Police, we will pursue convictions.”
Firefighters from across the region, with crews from Harlech, Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Pwllheli and Rhyl, called to the incident on the Saturday afternoon and they managed to bring the situation under control in less than four hours.