News

FROM THE CHAIR AND Edition two VICE CHAIRS Friday 1 April, 2011

At the meeting of the Authority on Friday 1 April, Members approved: • The Capital Programme 2011/12 to 2014/15 and proposed funding. • The Treasury Management policy statement. • The Treasury Management strategy and plan, and relevant indicators. We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the hard • The revised charging structure. work and commitment of the Avon Fire Authority Members who • A revised policy on the use of employer have announced they will not be standing at the forthcoming local discretions for the Local Government elections. Pension Scheme. • A pilot scheme with Great Western Councillor Howard Roberts, who is the Conservative party member Ambulance Service (GWAS) for for Wraxall and Long Ashton, in North , joined Avon Fire firefighters in rural areas to act as Authority in 1990. He chaired the Standards Committee and also agents for GWAS. sat on the South West Regional Management Board. • The contract for insurance. • For officers to sign the purchase Councillor Gordon Wood, who is the Conservative party member with managed services agreement for for Saltford, in Bath & , has also announced he is personal protective equipment. to step down next month. He joined Avon Fire Authority in 2002 and has been a member of the Performance Risk Management Members also noted: Forum. • The estimated movement in capital programme and revenue monitor Councillor Ami Patel, who is the Conservative party member for reserves. the Weston-super-Mare Clarence and Uphill ward, and Councillor • The Audit Plan 2010/11. Shirley Brown, who is the Liberal Democrat party member for • Current developments in risk planning. Bristol’s Ashley ward, have also announced their intention to step • The community safety work. down. • The ongoing work in relation to equality and diversity. We would like to thank all councillors for their dedication to Avon • Progress made in relation to Fire Authority over the last few years and wish them well in the performance management and future. corporate risk. • The ongoing work in relation to the Chair of Avon Fire Authority, Councillor Terry Walker shifts lost due to sickness. Vice Chair, Councillor Sheila Cook • Incidents of note in the reporting Vice Chair, Councillor Gerry Curran period.

1 Preventing and Protecting What’s happening in your area? South Gloucestershire Elected members Crews from Yate Fire Station teamed up with the South Councillor T Walker (Chair) (Labour) Gloucestershire NHS stop smoking service to highlight Councillor S Cook (Vice Chair) National No Smoking Day. (Conservative) They wore breathing apparatus to compete against Councillor K Dando (Liberal gym instructors from Yate Leisure Centre in a rowing Democrat) challenge to highlight the impact smoking has on lung Councillor M Drew (Liberal Democrat) function. They also took the opportunity to highlight the Councillor N Barrett (Conservative) importance of working smoke alarms to smokers. Councillor K Cranney (Conservative)

Bristol Elected members Crews from Temple Fire Station have been working Councillor M Cole (Liberal Democrat) with residents in a sheltered accommodation facility to Councillor J Clark (Liberal Democrat) reduce the number of false alarms the service attends Councillor C Davies (Liberal at the premises. Democrat) Between September 2010 and February 2011 crews Councillor S Comer (Liberal were called to Lincoln Gardens, in Barton Hill, 39 Democrat) times, with all but one of the calls being a false alarm. Councillor S Brown (Liberal Having visited the manager of the complex to discuss Democrat) the number of calls, crews then met with residents Councillor L Alexander (Conservative) to discuss how they could help reduce the number Councillor P Abraham (Conservative) of calls the service attends and offer them some fire Councillor M Wollacott (Labour) safety advice. Councillor B Hugill (Labour) It’s hoped the coming months will see the number of Councillor D Pickup (Labour) false alarms attended at the premises fall.

North Somerset Elected members Crews from Weston-super-Mare Fire Station have Councillor A Patel (Conservative) been working with North Somerset Council and Avon Councillor I Porter (Conservative) and Somerset Constabulary, to promote fire safety in Councillor R Willis (Conservative) the home. Councillor H Roberts (Conservative) They attended the Your North Somerset event and Councillor H Gregor (Independent) talked to those attending about the importance of working smoke alarms and generated Home Fire Safety Visit referrals.

Bath & North East Somerset Elected members Firefighters from Bath Fire Station have taken part in Councillor G Curran (Vice Chair) sessions on animal rescue techniques. (Liberal Democrat) They have been learning how to deal with sheep, Councillor S McGall (Liberal cattle and horses. In partnership with the RSPCA they Democrat) have also received training on how to handle swans Councillor C Barrett (Conservative) and geese. The sessions were designed to give crews Councillor G Wood (Conservative) more confidence when rescuing injured animals.

The number of Home Fire Safety Visits completed between April 2010 and February 2011 is 15,532, against a target of 15,034. Responding Incidents of note International duty Teenager rescued from cave Helping Japan Thursday 17 March Avon’s search and rescue dog was 14.34 , Burrington, deployed to Japan last month to help in the search for casualties following the A teenager was rescued after dislocating her knee 100 country’s devastating earthquake and metres into a cavern. tsunami.

On arrival at the incident firefighters found the 18 year- old inside Goatchurch Cavern. She had been taking part in an organised trip when she slipped and fell. Due to the conditions paramedics treated the teenager inside the cave and then worked with firefighters and cave rescue teams to bring her to safety.

Two children die in house fire Saturday 19 March 06.28 Merryweather Close, Bradley Stoke, Bristol

Two children have sadly died in a house fire.

Crews were on scene quickly following numerous 999 calls to the two storey property. Bryn, who works for both Avon and Cheshire Fire & Rescue Services, On arrival they were faced with a well developed blaze accompanied his handler Steve involving the first floor and roof of the house. Buckley, from Cheshire, as part of a 63-strong UK International Search and Four people, two adults and two children, had already Rescue Team. escaped from the property, but two children were still missing. They joined firefighters from Kent, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Mid In an effort to find the missing children firefighters and West Wales and the West Midlands entered the property to conduct a search. Tragically the to help in the search and rescue effort. bodies of the two children, aged five and seven, were found on the first floor. A joint investigation by police and On arrival, the UK team joined up with AF&RS is underway to determine the cause. American rescue workers, with their efforts focusing on the coastal town of The family of the deceased children said: “Our thanks go Ofunato. to the neighbours that helped and the fire officers who risked their own lives to try and save our children.” The United Kingdom International Search and Rescue Team (UK-ISAR) is Group Manager Sarah Allen, said: “This has been a on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year tragic incident, and my sincere thanks go to all staff to respond to humanitarian accidents involved for their extraordinary professionalism. or disasters anywhere in the world. The team is highly experienced having “We are now involved in a series of focused, follow-up worked in Haiti, Turkey, Pakistan, India activities in the local area to reassure and provide advice and more recently some members of to the public.” the team have just returned to the UK from deployment in New Zealand.

3 Avon Fire Authority News Designed and produced by Creative Services Unit, Avon Fire & Rescue Service Avon Designed and produced by Creative Services Unit,

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