24/1/2008 - Council approves extra investment in life and landscape

A package of Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service measures designed to preserve life and landscape has been given the green-light today (24 January) at a full meeting of Cumbria County Council.

The key elements in the Fire and Rescue Service plan approved by councillors are:

* The introduction of a new deadline for the completion of free Home Safety Visits which any Cumbria resident can currently request by calling the freephone number 0800-358-4777.

* The installation of a new Community Safety Room at Kendal fire station to help the town’s firefighters get across important fire and accident prevention messages;

* More investment in a new strategy to combat wildfires and protect the county’s precious landscape. 

Figures show that two in every three people who die in fires do so before the Fire and Rescue Service is even called - making it a priority for Cumbria firefighters to help people prevent fires from happening in the first place.

Since 2003, Cumbrian firefighters have carried out around 40,000 free Home Safety Visits which are designed to make sure people have working smoke detectors and basic fire prevention advice. 

The new Home Safety Visit standards will give people a much clearer understanding of what to expect when they request the free service with new unambiguous completion deadlines.

Prevention also lies behind the decision to provide a new state of the art Community Safety Room at Kendal fire station. The new high-tech community classroom will enable firefighters to invite local community groups into the station and provide them with important safety information. 

It will also be available free of charge to local schools, clubs and neighbourhood groups who in return will receive a basic fire or road safety message.

The need to preserve the county’s environmental heritage - and the thousands of jobs that depend upon it - from the ravages of wildfires, lies behind the decision to invest £20,000 in new equipment and training to combat fell fires which can leave the countryside blackened and devoid of wildlife for decades.

Councillor Gary Strong, cabinet member responsible for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service, said: “These improvements will pay dividends in lives saved and landscape protected over the coming years.” 

Cumbria’s Chief Fire Officer Dominic Harrison said: “Investing more in wildfire fighting is all about preserving Cumbria’s priceless environmental heritage and the jobs and livelihoods that depend upon it.

“Taken as a whole, the package of measures underlines our determination not to rest on our laurels and instead to continue in our innovative drive to make Cumbria a safer and securer place for everyone to live.”

ENDS

Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337

The paper considered by councillors at their meeting today (item 12)