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Wednesday, 3 December 2008

Home and community

Home and community

The UK Fire and Rescue Service

There are 50 separate Fire and Rescue Services in England and Wales. Together with their counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland, they form the UK Fire and Rescue Service. Other organisations also maintain their own independent fire brigades, such as the British Airports Authority (BAA) and the Defence Fire Service, which provides cover at military and Ministry of Defence sites.

The role of the services

Fighting fires can be just a small part of a firefighter's everyday work. Only one in five calls to the Fire and Rescue Service is about a fire and the services deal with many kinds of emergency and non-emergency situations. Their work includes pumping out floodwater, attending chemical spills and helping at road, rail and air crashes - including emergency casualty care. Fire and rescue services also rescue people who are trapped in buildings and lifts.

Fire and Rescue Services in England and Wales employ about 33,000 wholetime (full-time) firefighters and around 12,000 retained (part-time) firefighters

The role of firefighters in the prevention of fire

Firefighters also have a large role to play in preventing fires and in educating people about the dangers of fire. They:

  • provide advice on fire prevention
  • advise people on fire escape routes and fire hazards in the home
  • inspect premises to make sure they meet fire safety regulations
  • work with schools - teaching pupils, for example, about the dangers of fireworks and matches

Ensuring your home is safe

The Fire and Rescue Service provides a checklist that you can use to see how safe your home is. It will help you to identify any danger points around your home. Follow the link below to use the checklist. You can also take an online self-assessment - which will help you build a specific fire safety plan for your home – by following the second link.

Request a visit from your local Fire and Rescue Service

If you are concerned about fire safety in your home, you can request a free home safety visit from your local Fire and Rescue Service. They will inspect your home to help you identify any potential fire risks and show you what to do to reduce or prevent them. They can also help you to develop an escape plan for your property. Use the links below to fill out an online request form or find contact details for your local service.

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