Annual Report 2014/1 55

AAnnnnuuaall RReeppoorrtt 22001144//1155 www.syfire.gov.uk Contents Page Joint Foreword by the Chair of the Fire and Rescue Authority 2 and the Chief Fire Officer Introduction 3 Page 2 What We Did in 2014/15 4 Our Performance during 2014/15 8 Headline Projects during 2014/15 10 Progress against our Action Plan for 2013 to 2017 12 Annual Statement of Accounts 2014/15 18 Contact Us 19 Alternative Formats 21 Joint Foreword by the Chair of the Fire and Rescue Authority and the Chief Fire Officer Page 3 Cllr. Jim Andrews James Courtney Chair of the Fire and Chief Fire Officer and Chief Rescue Authority Executive Welcome to our second annual report, which covers the period April 2014 to March 2015. It was a significant year for the service as some of our key developments were implemented. These projects included the construction of two new fire stations, the purchase of two new turntable ladders, the roll out of a new IT system for handling 999 calls and the implementation of a new crewing system at some of our fire stations. All of those changes- detailed elsewhere in this report- have run alongside the constant improvements we are making to the way we deliver our prevention work, working in ever more targeted ways to help the people in our communities who need it most. We are consistently proud and constantly impressed by the work of staff who continue to deliver on a daily basis, despite the financial pressures we face. This work is reflected in strong performance figures which show fires, deaths and injuries in South Yorkshire remain low. This report not only provides reassurance to our stakeholders that the service is delivering against its objectives and providing value for money, it also provides an opportunity for our workforce to reflect on the exceptional work they do for the communities we serve. Introduction This is the South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Annual Report for 2014/15. The report looks at our performance and achievements over the past year. It also includes a summary of how Page we are progressing against our priorities set out in our Operational Plan for 2013 to 2017. A 4 copy of the Operational Plan for 2013 to 2017, along with our Strategic Plan for 2013 to 2017 and Community Fire Risk Model can be found on our website at http://www.syfire.gov.uk/corporateplan.asp. Details of how to obtain a copy of the Annual Report for 2014/15 in alternative formats can be found on page 23, at the end of the report. What we did in 2014/15 Page 5 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 Health, education and A major electrical safety A Sheffield tyre housing projects, and those campaign was launched in reclamation firm was fined supporting vulnerable response to the Wake Road £30,000 after being communities, figured house fire. This included a prosecuted for breaching prominently in the 19 series of national newspaper safety laws at its Attercliffe schemes that were awarded features and an appearance site in 2013 in which a £500,000 worth of funding on BBC Breakfast alongside worker was injured. This under the Fire Authority’s more targeted work in the followed significant work by Stronger Safer local community. Our work to our Technical Fire Safety Communities Reserve. raise awareness of electrical team. fire safety issues later won a New retained firefighter regional campaign award. Firefighters spent several recruits enjoyed a passing days tackling a deep seated out parade at our training fire at a wood recycling and development centre in We also highlighted the site at Crow Edge, near Sheffield. The group of 11 dangers of cigarettes which Penistone. on-call firefighters had don’t comply with fire completed their two weeks safety laws, following the We tackled road safety initial training and went on to inquest into the death of an issues as part of UK Road join fire crews at their 83-year-old woman in Safety Week (9-15 June). respective on-call stations at Doncaster. The cigarettes Our work contributed to a 25 Penistone, Askern, the victim smoked did not per cent drop in incidents on Rossington and comply with legislation South Yorkshire’s roads. We Stocksbridge. introduced in 2011 held events across the concerning Reduced Ignition county to educate motorists, At the end of the month, we Propensity (RIP) or ‘fire safe’ cyclists and pedestrians attended a tragic house fire cigarettes. about common causes of on Wake Road in Sheffield road injuries such as in which five people sadly speeding, drink driving and lost their lives. Our distraction. community safety teams did a significant amount of work A fire we attended at the in the local area following the ASOS warehouse in incident, including safety Barnsley made headlines talks at Medina Masjid around the world, after the mosque in the city. online retailer was forced to suspend orders via its website. Page 6 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 Two South Yorkshire bikers Work to build two brand Dozens of firefighters were came to the rescue of a new fire stations in sent to the scene of a blaze stricken cyclist, thanks to Sheffield got under way at a waste recycling unit in skills they learned at an after political leaders in the Sheffield. Crews were sent Edlington fire station training city gathered to mark the to the industrial unit on the course. The course, start of the building project. Yarra Estate off Station Road BikerDown, was run by The new stations at Parkway in the Ecclesfield area of the Safer Roads Partnership and Birley Moor are both in city. At the height of the fire officers, teaching bikers how Clive Betts MP’s Sheffield seven fire engines with about to respond when they come South-East constituency, and 35 firefighters were at the across another road user he joined the City Council scene. that has been involved in a Leader Julie Dore in marking road traffic collision. the occasion. Also present A student completed a work were Fire Authority Chair Jim placement with us, under a An unusual incident we Andrews, Sheffield new partnership with a attended made national Councillors on the Fire university forensic science headlines, after firefighters Authority, Colin Ross and course. He studied at cut free a toddler who had Jackie Satur; and Chief Fire Nottingham Trent University become wedged in a metal Officer James Courtney. and assisted our Fire mop bucket. We used the Investigation Officers at a incident as a chance to We identified at least 50 range of incidents over the highlight the varied work death trap swimming spots course of the year. our crews are called to across South Yorkshire, respond to, beyond where people were We launched an initiative to traditional firefighting. continually putting their lives give 3,000 expectant parents at risk. We chose to highlight in Barnsley thermometers Work to make the lives of the issue after reports of carrying home safety tips. people with autism and people- often children- As well as telling parents learning difficulties safer regularly swimming in places when their baby's room is the began, thanks to a fire like flooded quarries over the correct temperature, they will service funded education summer months. also display messages about project. Speakup Self fire safety and smoke-free Advocacy, based in . homes. The scheme was Rotherham, was awarded funded as part of the £58,000 from the Fire Stronger Safer Communities Authority’s Stronger Safer Reserve. Communities Reserve. Page 7 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 Two new videos were We were successful in a We gave advice to released to simply explain to funding bid to the commercial premises during people ‘how to prevent fires Government’s Fire UK Business Safety Week at night’ and ‘how to escape Transformation Fund, (8 to 14 December). The a house fire’. The high which will mean Maltby awareness week, quality videos were filmed at firefighters working under the coordinated nationally by the Lifewise and have since same roof as police for the Chief Fire Officer’s been viewed thousands of first time. Maltby fire station Association (CFOA), sought times and adopted by the will close and Maltby police to get businesses to engage Chief Fire Officers’ station will be modified to with local fires services to Association and Department accommodate fire service help manage their fire risk, for Communities & Local vehicles and staff in the complete fire risk Government amongst others. project, which will receive assessments and ensure £560,000 from the fund. business continuity. We welcomed the Government's Chief Fire & We repeated warnings for We announced that our Rescue Advisor Peter people not to dry clothes popular Kitchen Holland CBE to South next to heaters, after an Nightmares campaign, now Yorkshire. As well as inquest into the death of a in its third year, contributed showing him the work we do man in a Sheffield house fire. to a seven per cent reduction locally, he also unveiled a The man died following a in cooking fires compared to plaque on behalf of the blaze at the house he shared previous years. Our HOPE support group at our with his mother and sister in campaign included bus training and development Beighton in 2013. shelter advertising and centre. targeted leaflet drops in our The fire service and student highest-risk areas, plus We won the ‘Best use of union housing advisors promotion of kitchen fire social media in a crisis’ at the joined forces to switch safety online. UK Social Media Awards Sheffield students onto for our work on Twitter safety issues, ahead of the informing the public during a busiest time of year for the major fire in 2013.

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