Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service News from the North Tyneside District.Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has appointed a new senior fire officer in North Tyneside. Peter Iveson, 46, has been appointed District Manager for North Tyneside - the most senior post in the fire and rescue service in the borough. Peter joined Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service in May 1990 as a firefighter at the old Pilgrim Street Fire Station in Newcastle. He also worked at Gateshead East Community Fire Station before being promoted to leading firefighter at the old Fossway Fire Station in Newcastle, then temporary sub-officer at Newcastle North Community Fire Station in Gosforth before becoming a permanent sub-officer at Sunderland South Community Fire Station in Rainton Bridge. During his time as sub-officer, Peter also spent two years as temporary station officer at Hebburn fire station in South Tyneside. In 2005 Peter worked in the Response Support Department in the Service&8217;s Headquarters. In 2007 Peter was promoted to Station Manager at Sunderland Central Community Fire Station in Farringdon, Sunderland. Peter originates from, and still lives, in Gateshead. He is married and has two children, a ten-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. When he is not working Peter enjoys spending time with his family. He is also a Community Governor at Oakfield Junior School in Gateshead. Speaking about his appointment Peter said: "I am absolutely delighted to be appointed to the top post in North Tyneside and I am really looking forward to building on the excellent work of my predecessors. Last year the number of people injured in a fire in the borough reduced by 31%, from 52 to 36 and I am keen to reduce this further. "By working together with other organisations such as North Tyneside Council, North Tyneside Homes, the NHS and the Police, I believe we can improve the lives of people in the borough. This is increasingly important within the current economic climate. It's important we continue to provide value for money for local residents and strive towards creating safe communities. &8220;Community safety is a key part of our role now and our work is paying dividends. We are working hard to ensure we target people who are more vulnerable to having a fire and to make them safer. Over the last year the Service has carried out a range of activities to help reduce accidental and deliberate fires. This includes talks to school children, a play about fire safety and crime prevention aimed at older people and the 'Crucial Crew' event aimed at school children with a range of safety workshops such as bonfire and web security, which took place at North Tyneside East Community Fire Station in North Shields. Key priorities for North Tyneside are: Reduce the number of deaths from all fires Reduce the number of injuries from all fires Reduce the number of accidental fires in the home Reduce the number of all deliberate rubbish fires Reduce the number of false alarms from homes and from businesses/organisations Increase the percentage of fires attended in homes where a smoke alarm was fitted Further details about the fire and rescue service's work in the borough visit www.twfire.gov.uk/yourarea/north-tyneside.http://www.twfire.gov.uk/news/news/?EntryId67=59809Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:36:46 GMT20120106123646Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:36:00 GMT20120106123600Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:36:46 GMT20120106123646Students will play witness to a hard-hitting demonstration of the devastating effects of dangerous driving, this week. Firefighters from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service will visit Seaton Burn Community College, North Tyneside, to deliver a practical lesson on the realities of dealing with a serious car crash. In a vivid reconstruction, sixth formers will be shown, close-up, how a casualty is cut from a car following a Road Traffic Collision (RTC). The session is part of ongoing work between Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and North Tyneside Council, to educate young people about the dangers of driving. In preparation for Thursday&8217;s event, the Seaton Burn students have been taking part in sessions about road and driver safety. As part of this, they were the first group in the country to view a moving film, based on real life events, depicting the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt, texting whilst on the phone, and speeding. At the end, it shows the resulting accident and the devastating impact on the victims&8217; families. The film was produced by the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service District Manager for North Tyneside, Paul Tait said: &8220;Many young people are at high risk of being injured or killed in a car accident but they don&8217;t think about this when they get in a car. By having the opportunity to witness a realistic-looking mock road traffic collision, they can experience, first hand, the devastating consequences of road traffic collisions. We&8217;re sending them the message that by driving fast or carelessly, they may kill or injure themselves or their friends.&8221; The road safety message is particularly poignant for Seaton Burn students; in October last year, a serious late-night collision outside their school, on Dudley Lane, claimed the life of one local young man, and had a devastating effect on the close-knit school and wider community. Head teacher, Alison Shaw said: &8220;We want our students to stay safe and that means driving safely. Ensuring that our students really get the message about how serious careless driving can be, needs to be done in a way that they can really relate to. This thought-provoking project has done that vividly and in a way which I hope will help students to remember how important a message it is.&8221; Cllr Ed Hodson, Cabinet member for Transport and Highways, said: &8220;The under 25s are more likely to be involved in a road accident than any other group, and that is a terribly sad, but entirely preventable statistic. By educating our young drivers at an early age we can set high standards of awareness that they can carry forward for the rest of their lives.&8221; Road traffic collisions are the biggest cause of premature death in young people. According to police statistics, only nine percent of the driving population are aged between 17 and 24 but they account for 31percent of those killed or seriously injured in RTCs.http://www.twfire.gov.uk/news/news/?EntryId67=59071Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:07:43 GMT20111116060743Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:06:12 GMT20111116060612Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:07:43 GMT20111116060743North Tyneside school children will be taking crucial lessons in safety in the run-up to Bonfire Night. Over 800 Year 6 pupls will be visiting North Tyneside East Community Fire Station in North Shields for an education with a difference between 17-21 October. Called 'Crucial Crew', the event&8217;s primary aim is to reduce accidental injuries and deaths in fires, which is particularly relevant in the lead up to 5 November. The 10 and 11 year-olds will also learn about the hazards they face in everyday life and what to do if an accident occurs. Seven different &8216;real-life&8217; scenarios that highlight potential dangers will be set up in the community fire station. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service will be promoting bonfire and firework safety in an interactive and fun scenario. The children will be shown video clips and photographs of real life incidents where children have been burned. They will find out what it might be like to be affected by such burns as they are asked to perform routine tasks such as using a mobile phone or playing on an X-Box whilst blindfolded or wearing mittens. The British Red Cross will be showing the children how to recognize and treat burns, including advice on keeping burns cool and when to call an ambulance. At the end of each session, pupils will have the chance to ask questions and receive a &8216;Crucial Crew&8217; pack containing further resources, activities and information. The week-long event has been organised by the North Tyneside Child Accident Prevention (CAP) Strategy Group; a multi-agency task force and part of the Local Safeguarding Children&8217;s Board. Station Manager Graham Smith, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: &8221;Accidents are the biggest cause of death amongst children after cancer, and by their very nature can be prevented. By working with our partners we are able to highlight the various dangers, including fire, and promote ways of staying safe. We know young people want to have fun so this event is all about showing them how they can stay safe whilst having fun. This is especially important in the run up to bonfire night, our busiest time. We would encourage everyone to attend an organised display to ensure they have a safe and enjoyable bonfire night.&8221; North Tyneside Elected Mayor Linda Arkley, said: &8220;In the run up to Bonfire Night, it&8217;s even more important that young people have the knowledge needed to keep them safe over what is a particular dangerous time of year. &8220;The Crucial Crew event is a great way for children to learn about how to avoid dangers and accidents - including water safety, fire safety, first aid and road safety - which will hopefully considerably reduce their risk of harm in the future.&8221; This year's scenarios will be provided by: The British Red Cross NEXUS NHS North of Tyne North Tyneside Council Northumbria Police The RNLITyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Servicehttp://www.twfire.gov.uk/news/news/?EntryId67=58325Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:55:25 GMT20111017125525Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:53:52 GMT20111017125352Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:55:25 GMT20111017125525Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has launched a campaign urging young people to have fun but stay safe this Bonfire Night. The fire and rescue service has produced an emotive video and posters that graphically show the real dangers of playing with fire, and the devastating effect it has had on the lives of four youngsters. Caitlyn Rutherford, aged 10, from Gateshead; Thomas Slasor, 12, from Byker; Grant McKenna, 14, from Walker and 18-year-old Sarah Hunter, from Carlisle, were all treated at the special burns unit at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, having experienced horrific burns. In the video, which will be shown in schools throughout Tyne and Wear, they candidly recount their own heart rending stories of how they suffered their injuries and how their lives have changed forever as a result. Grant McKenna was just seven years old when he accidently set himself alight while playing with a lighter. He said: "The accident was seven years ago, but I still have to go into hospital for skin grafts. I've had three operations and still need some more. It is very painful - it's the most horrible pain you can ever feel in your life. When my skin gets tight I can't do outdoor sports until I've had another skin graft done." He added: "Children should keep away from fire and always let adults set off fireworks and bonfires." Caitlyn Rutherford is still receiving treatment after she was scarred for life when her skirt was set alight three years ago. She said: "I was in hospital for six weeks and the treatment did hurt a lot. I can't play out like normal kids and wear skirts. I've always got to wear pants to cover up my legs and I've got to put cream on. If I go on holiday or down to the beach I have to keep my legs covered up." Area Manager John Baines, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: &8220;We want everyone to enjoy Bonfire Night. However, bonfires and fireworks can cause devastating injuries and even kill you, so we&8217;re asking everyone to take extra care and make sure this doesn&8217;t happen to you or your loved ones. &8220;The run up to Bonfire Night is one of the busiest times for the emergency services. We would encourage everyone to attend professionally organised displays and to report any illegal bonfires that have been built to your local council. That way, we can all have a safe and enjoyable Bonfire Night.&8221; In the weeks running up to Bonfire Night, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service will be visiting secondary schools across Tyne and Wear to educate children and young people about the dangers relating to the misuse of bonfires and fireworks, and to highlight the consequences of anti-social behaviour against emergency workers. Fire crews will be conducting a series of inspections of outlets to ensure the safe storage of fireworks over the period. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service will work closely with Northumbria Police to tackle the consequences of anti-social behaviour around the misuse of fireworks and bonfires. Superintendent Gillian Mitchell said: "We want Bonfire Night celebrations to be fun and exciting, and above all, safe. With this is mind, we would urge people to visit one of the many organised displays taking place across the region. As in previous years, we will be working closely with the fire and rescue service, local councils and other partners to prevent serious injuries and disorder. &8220;We would also encourage anyone with information about illegal bonfires to report it to their local authority. "By working together we can make sure Bonfire Night is remembered for all the right reasons.&8221; The Service is also working with local councils and other partners to make sure that as many illegal bonfires as possible are removed before they are lit, preventing hundreds of fires from starting and endangering life. Keep safe this year by following the tips below: &8226; Attend an organised display rather than having your own bonfire &8226; Report illegal bonfires that are being built to your local authority &8226; Call 999 to report any illegal bonfires that have been lit &8226; Remember: alcohol and fireworks don&8217;t mix &8226; Always supervise children around fireworks &8226; Never give sparklers to children under five &8226; Keep pets indoors &8226; Ensure you bring your wheelie bin in as soon as it is emptied - it is a target for arson if you don&8217;t! For more information and advice on how to enjoy a safe Bonfire Night visit www.facebook.com/bonfires (13 years) www.twitter.com/tyne_wear_frs or www.twfire.gov.uk/bonfirehttp://www.twfire.gov.uk/news/news/?EntryId67=58188Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:58:26 GMT20111010125826Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:54:51 GMT20111010125451Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:58:26 GMT20111010125826People living in North Tyneside are safer from fire according to latest statistics from the fire and rescue service. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service carried out 5,394 home safety checks in the borough last year, an increase of 34% compared to the previous year, whilst a partnership with North Tyneside Homes, will see another 5,000 homes every 18 months receive a home safety check. The Service offers free home safety checks to people who are at more risk of having a fire. This includes checking that people have working smoke alarms and that they are situated in the right place as well as fitting smoke alarms if required; ensuring that they have a fire escape plan in place should a fire break out in their home and that they are aware of the importance of a safe night time routine, such as closing doors, unplugging electrical equipment and safe disposal of cigarettes. The number of people injured in a fire in the borough also reduced by 31% last year, from 52 to 36, and there were no increases in the number of people who unfortunately lost their life due to fire; this remained at one. District Manager for North Tyneside, Paul Tait, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said: "I am really pleased with the progress we are making in North Tyneside to help make people safer from fire. This could not be achieved without the support and commitment of our partners at North Tyneside Council, the NHS, the police and the voluntary service. By working together I believe we can improve the lives of people in the borough. This is increasingly important within the current economic climate. It's important we continue to provide value for money for local residents. However we must not become complacent. &8220;Community safety is a key part of our role now and our work is paying dividends. Sadly one person lost their life last year in the borough in a house fire and 36 people within North Tyneside were injured in a fire. Whilst the number of injuries was down on the previous year it is 36 too many and most of them could have been prevented. We are working hard to ensure we target people who are more vulnerable to having a fire and to make them safer." Over the last year the Service has carried out a range of activities to help reduce accidental and deliberate fires. This includes talks to school children, a play about fire safety and crime prevention aimed at older people and the 'Crucial Crew' event aimed at school children with a range of safety workshops such as bonfire and web security, took place at North Tyneside East Community Fire Station in North Shields. In June the new North Tyneside East Community Fire Station opened its doors. It now provides a community safety facility, including meeting rooms with multi-media equipment which can be used by the local community. Paul continued: "One of the biggest achievements for the fire and rescue service is the work we have done with the New Tyne Crossing. The new tunnel is the first in the UK to be fitted with an active fire suppression system, making it the safest tunnel in the UK.&8221; The Service is also involved in upgrading the fire safety features currently being installed as part of the refurbishment of the existing tunnel. Paul has set out his priorities for the borough over the next year in a document called the District Plan. This is available at www.twfire.gov.uk/yourarea/north-tyneside. Key priorities for North Tyneside:&8226; Reduce the number of deaths from all fires&8226; Reduce the number of injuries from all fires&8226; Reduce the number of accidental fires in the home&8226; Reduce the number of all deliberate rubbish fires &8226; Reduce the number of false alarms from homes and from businesses/organisations&8226; Increase the percentage of fires attended in homes where a smoke alarm was fitted North Tyneside Fire Statistics 2009/10 2010/11 Number of deaths from all fires 1 1 Number of injuries from all fires 52 36 Number of accidental house fires 109 123 Total number of secondary (anti-social behaviour fires) 603 612 Number of malicious (hoax) calls attended 43 27 % of fires attended in homes where a smoke alarm had worked 45.1 47.3 % of fires attended in homes where a smoke alarm was fitted but did not work 21.1 17.3 Total number of fire calls attended 1028 1058 Total number of home safety checks carried out 4029 5394 Number of false alarms from homes 209 237 Number of false alarms from businesses/organisations 298 308http://www.twfire.gov.uk/news/news/?EntryId67=56662Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:19:11 GMT20110718111911Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:27:41 GMT20110718102741Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:19:11 GMT20110718111911The District Plans for 2011/12 have been published on the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service website. The purpose of the District Plans is to provide an overview of each districts approach to delivering services at a localised level whilst highlighting the performance and associated actions. The District Plans outline what priorities have been agreed by the District Manager and the initiatives being delivered to work towards achieving their aims and targets. Newcastle District Plan North Tyneside District Plan Gateshead District Plan South Tyneside District Plan Sunderland District Plan The District Plans are monitored throughout the year via our performance reporting process which involves key managers providing supporting evidence against the priorities agreed. The District Plans are shared with external stakeholders to demonstrate our relationship with our partners and they contribute to the performance and success of the Authority. For further information relating to a specific District Plan please contact the relevant District Manager, contact information is provided within the relevant district page and at the back of each District Plan.http://www.twfire.gov.uk/news/news/?EntryId67=56091Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:03:35 GMT20110617010335Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:58:19 GMT20110617125819Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:03:35 GMT20110617010335An ambitious building programme involving three north east fire and rescue services has won two prestigious national awards. Representatives from the three authorities of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Durham and Darlington fire and rescue services, making up the North East Fire and Rescue Authorities (NEFRA), were the biggest winners at the Partnerships Bulletin Awards on 11 May. During the awards ceremony hosted by Partnerships Bulletin in London, NEFRA scooped the &8216;Best Accommodation&8217; category before going on to win the &8216;Projects Grand Prix &8216;award. The Partnerships Bulletin Awards, formerly the Public Private Finance Awards, is now in its thirteenth year. The event is the biggest night in the partnerships calendar rewarding the industry for successes each year. The evening was hosted by former BBC political editor John Sergeant who presented the awards to Neill Cook, project leader for NEFRA and Northumberland Fire and Rescue, and Michael Butcher, general manager for John Laing. NEFRA was placed ahead of some of the top public building projects in the country to secure the &8216;Best Accommodation&8217; award. Other projects on the shortlist included Belmarsh Prisons, Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Two Counties Police Investigation Centres, Luton New Homes, and Forest Gate &8211; Newham Housing. In a unanimous decision by the judges, NEFRA topped a strong shortlist of international projects including the Lisbon to Madrid TGV High Speed Rail Link, Long Beach Court Building USA, Peninsula Link, Australia, and the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Bermuda to win the &8216;Grand Prix&8217; award, for delivering outstanding improvement in public service for the benefit of communities. Five new community fire stations and a headquarters for Northumberland were built as part of a NEFRA Private Finance Initiative (PFI). This included new community fire stations for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service and Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. John Laing Investments provided project management of the construction and operational phases and national contractor Shepherd Construction, which has offices in Darlington and York, built the five new stations. Mouchel Ltd was the technical advisor to the project and John Laing Integrated Services is providing facilities management for the 25-year contract. Other regional businesses that played key roles in the NEFRA project included: Newcastle-based law firm Dickinson Dees, which was involved in the legal contracts; national contractor Shepherd Construction, which has offices in York and Darlington and delivered the build and Napper Architects in Newcastle who designed the new fire stations and headquarters. The stations became operational, as follows: Bishop Auckland, May 2010; Pegswood, near Morpeth, June 2010; North Tyneside East, North Shields, June 2010; Spennymoor, June 2010 and West Hartford, Northumberland headquarters, August 2010. The design and construction of all five stations is environmentally friendly achieving BREEAM (energy efficiency rating) of between &8216;very good&8217; and &8216;excellent&8217;. As well as providing emergency fire and rescue cover, each community station provides state-of-the-art facilities, as well as free internet access and meeting rooms, which are available for local organisations and members of the public to book. Building began in 2009 and each station took about a year to complete. As construction progressed each fire service sought to involve local communities; time capsule events with school children and open days to mark the completion of projects were among the events that took place. HRH The Prince of Wales opened Northumberland&8217;s headquarters at West Hartford in November last year. Chief Fire Officer for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, Iain Bathgate, said: "We are delighted that the excellent new community facilities have been recognised nationally. Our new fire station in North Shields provides a first class base for our firefighters to help protect the local community. It also has an extensive community safety facility where members of the public can &8216;drop in&8217; for free fire safety advice, helping to make the local community safer. There is no doubt that the fire station was already a winner in our eyes; these awards demonstrate that and are a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in the project." Chief Fire Officer for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, Alex Bennett, said: "All of those who were involved in the building projects from conception to completion are to be congratulated for their hard work in making these fantastic projects a success. These awards recognise the quality of the work that was carried out between all of the partners involved. All five fire stations are now integral parts of the communities they serve." Chief Executive of Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, Susan Johnson, said: "To win two major awards like this is a tribute to the tremendous effort by everyone involved in the project in delivering these superb fire stations. Our new stations at Bishop Auckland and Spennymoor are great assets for local people and provide much needed facilities for community groups and partner organisations to work together, with our firefighters, to deliver safety education. Our crews are also delighted with the modern working environment, equipped with the latest technology, to help them provide a fast and effective emergency response service." Regional Operations Director for John Laing, Joe Linney, said: "We are delighted that the project has won not one but an astounding two awards, which is testimony to all the hard work that was put into not only ensuring the provision of efficient, state-of-the-art emergency facilities for the benefit and safety of communities, but also doing it with a real partnership spirit." Graeme Dodd, Managing Director of Napper Architects said "This project continues our long relationship with the local fire authorities; the award is a testament to collaborative working and reflects the huge amount of hard work and enthusiasm of everybody involved." Andrew Constantine, construction director for Shepherd Construction commented: "This is a fantastic achievement. It is recognition of the strong working partnership that existed between all the partners in the project and which made the scheme such a success." For more information about the awards, shortlists and categories visit: www.partnershipsbulletin.com/awards &12288; Photo caption (from left): Susan Johnson, Chief Executive County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service; Iain Bathgate, Chief Fire Officer Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service; Alex Bennett, Chief Fire Officer Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service.http://www.twfire.gov.uk/news/news/?EntryId67=55686Tue, 24 May 2011 15:34:48 GMT20110524033448Tue, 24 May 2011 15:30:06 GMT20110524033006Tue, 24 May 2011 15:34:48 GMT20110524033448