DEWSBURY & BATLEY West Yorkshire RISK REDUCTION Fire & Rescue Service Making West Yorkshire Safer ACTION PLAN www.westyorksfire.gov.uk Context A safer West Yorkshire West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) faces some A decade on and West Yorkshire is a safer place to live and work. difficult challenges in meeting its objectives and at the same There are: time delivering significant efficiencies over the next few years. • 54 per cent fewer deaths from house fires (accidental) WYFRS has had major success over recent years in reducing • 57 per cent fewer injuries from house fires (accidental) risk, activity and demand, with the number of fires, deaths and injuries at an all-time low. Despite the financial challenges • 53 per cent reduction in commercial property fires ahead, WYFRS is committed to reduce fires, deaths and injuries • 73 per cent reduction in malicious calls still further. • 68 per cent fewer vehicle fires This action plan provides details of the risk reduction work WYFRS is going to carry out to continue to make the • 28 per cent reduction in automatic fire alarms. communities of Dewsbury and Batley safer places to live and work. A safer Dewsbury and Batley West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has achieved great The proposal success in making the people and communities of Dewsbury The merger of Dewsbury and Batley fire stations is one of a and Batley safer through risk reduction projects. These have number of changes that are being proposed by West Yorkshire included carrying out home fire safety checks, fire safety Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) as part of its plans for the education campaigns, local arson task force work, and work future provision of a highly effective and professional fire and in partnership with other local agencies to identify and help rescue service. vulnerable people. This action plan will target the people and communities that need the most help, whilst continuing to support all communities within the area. The action plan • Batley - We will focus our risk reduction activities on providing safety checks, due to the numbers of house fires in the area. WYFRS will focus resources in the communities of Dewsbury and 3,000 home visits have been completed in homes in the Batley Batley that have the highest numbers of vulnerable people and the station area since 1 April 2009. WYFRS will continue to carry highest levels of activity. Action plans have been used in the past them out in a targeted manner and when requested to by with great success to support fire station changes. members of the public. The communities within Dewsbury and Batley where risk reduction • WYFRS recognises that local organisations and groups in Batley work is to be focused: have a detailed understanding of their local communities and • Ravensthorpe - to reduce the number of house fires, which WYFRS will seek out these groups to promote community are still relatively high compared to the surrounding areas. safety. This includes our strong relationship/partnership with 1,000 home fire safety checks have been completed in homes KNH, Police and community action teams, tenants and residents’ in Ravensthorpe since 1 April 2009. WYFRS will continue to associations and neighbourhood management groups. carry out visits in both a targeted manner and at the request • Heckmondwike - Levels of arson are reducing, but are still of partner agencies, community groups and members of higher than surrounding areas. To tackle this problem, KATF will the public. We will also work closely with schools to educate continue to work closely, with the Police, community leaders and children about the dangers of fire. The community of the NMG to reduce arson and anti-social behaviour. WYFRS has Ravensthorpe has a diverse population. To this end, Kirklees carried out 1,200 home checks in Heckmondwike since 1 April District has established strong links with community leaders to 2009, and will continue to carry them out in a targeted manner drive down risk. Kirklees Arson Task Force (KATF) will continue and when requested to by members of the public. WYFRS will to work closely with the Police, community leaders and the work closely with our partners Carephone to identify vulnerable neighbourhood management group (NMG) to reduce the high adults living within Heckmondwike. Through engagement in numbers of arson-related incidents. sporting and community events relationships have improved • Dewsbury Moor - WYFRS will continue to focus its risk between WYFRS and the south Asian community in the Mount reduction activities on providing safety checks in Dewsbury Pleasant area. Moor (900 have been completed since 1 April 2009). We will continue to carry out visits in both a targeted manner and when requested to by members of the public, to further reduce Monitoring and review dwelling fires in the area. Due to the high levels of arson in All incidents will continue to be evaluated, mapped and monitored the Dewsbury Moor area, KATF will continue to work closely to identify emerging issues. Historic activity data and future activities with the Police andf others to reduce the number of arson will continue to be reviewed to measure the risk levels that are attacks and anti-social behaviour. Dewsbury Moor has a high present. proportion of social housing managed by KNH. WYFRS will work closely to reduce the opportunity for anti-social behaviour This action plan will be regularly reviewed to ensure, subject to through management of combustible waste, proper storage approval, that the implementation of this proposal will continue areas for wheelie bins, and visiting schools to educate the to provide Ravensthorpe, Savile Town, Chickenley, Batley, children of the dangers of fire and fire-setting behaviour. Heckmondwike and Dewsbury Moor with a first class fire and rescue service. Performance management visits will ensure that all the • Savile Town - Incidents of arson are reducing in the area, aspects of prevention, protection and response are being delivered in however rates of arson are higher in Savile Town than in the line with priorities within the Kirklees District. The district commander surrounding areas. KATF will continue to work closely with the for Kirklees will utilise a suite of statistical information and mapping Police and other groups to combat arson-related incidents. software to determine whether the levels of performance are on 1,000 safety checks have been completed in Savile Town since schedule to deliver the required results. 1 April 2009. The housing profile in Saville town is mainly owner occupied and private rented. Partnership working to engage This Action Plan forms part of the Kirklees District Risk Reduction with the local network of support agencies and organisations Plan. The Service Delivery Board reviews and monitors district has and will continue to assist us to reach the more vulnerable risk reduction plans. members of the community. Savile Town has a diverse population. To this end Kirklees District has already established Contact strong links with community leaders to drive down the risk from For further information, please contact: fire. District staff have recently entered into a partnership with the Kirklees Faith Forum, which will help target the elderly and Kirklees District Commander those most vulnerable. Keith Robinson • Chickenley - Arson remains the largest issue for WYFRS in email [email protected] Chickenley. KATF will continue to work closely with the Police, community leaders and the NMG to reduce to reduce the The draft Integrated Risk Management high numbers. WYFRS has carried out 1,000 home checks in Action Plan 2012-13 is available on www. Chickenley since 1 April 2009, and will continue to carry out westyorksfire.gov.uk visits in a targeted manner and when requested to do so by members of the public. Chickenley has a high proportion of social housing managed by Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing West Yorkshire (KNH). WYFRS will work closely with KNH to reduce the Fire & Rescue Service opportunity for anti-social behaviour through management of combustible waste, proper storage areas for wheelie bins and visiting schools to educate the children of the dangers of fire and fire-setting behaviour. Making West Yorkshire Safer www.westyorksfire.gov.uk.