LEICESTERSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE – INVESTING IN THE COMMUNITY
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Services has been working hard to deliver innovative ideas that will help save the Service time, money and, ultimately, protect the local communities that we serve in a more effective way.
To keep our key stakeholders informed of these new initiatives, on Friday 3 March 2017, at County Hall, the Service held the first of three planned “show and tell” All-Member Briefing events. This first event was for County Councillors, allowing Nick Rushton, Chair of the Combined Fire Authority, an opportunity to experience at first-hand, many of the projects with which the fire authority has approved.
With the impending introduction of five new Tactical Response Vehicles (TRVs), strategically located across the Service, the brand new TRV (still in final development), made its debut at the All Members Briefing along with the FireBike and VF4 Car. Inside County Hall were interactive information stations on the Braunstone Blues initiative, VF4 360 virtual reality road traffic collision simulation and demonstrations on our new rescue equipment.
Investing in resources for prevention and protection as well as response are key to providing a value for money service for our community, and using these resources has helped to reduce fire risk and increase safety across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Steve Lunn, Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, said: “With priorities changing, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are immensely proud to be leading the way, with innovative projects and the latest technology. Continuing to look at cost effective ways which ultimately improves services to the community, is something which drives us forward.”
Nick Rushton, who chairs the county’s Combined Fire Authority, said: “The presentation gave us a real insight into the day-to-day challenges facing the fire service, including the life-and-death situations which first responders can find themselves in. It was also fascinating to look at how new technology is helping the crews in their various roles making our communities safer.”
For more information on our Service, visit www.leicestershire-fire.gov.uk.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Interviews can be arranged with prior arrangement via Corporate Communications. Photos are provided, and further images are available on request.
About the Service
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service provides emergency response, prevention and protection services from 20 stations across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Its headquarters is based in Birstall, Leicester.
The Service’s prevention, education, enforcement and inspection programmes have resulted in significant reductions in the number of incidents. In the last ten years, fire related incidents have reduced by 46 percent.
During 2015/16, the Service attended 666 road traffic collisions, of which 174 were extrications freeing 208 people trapped inside their vehicles and completed 5086 home fire safety checks, fitting almost 4481 smoke alarms. Staff organised or supported almost 1431 events aimed at promoting fire and road safety and arson prevention, whilst also visiting 332 schools to deliver fire and road safety education to pupils.
Contact:
Daniella Heseltine
Communications and Digital Media Administrator
0116 229 2178
Daniella.Heseltine@lfrs.org
