An average of under nine minutes from call to being on the scene of over 4,500 incidents...
...84% of calls being handled effectively within 90 seconds, life-saving prevention measures reaching nearly 100,000 people, more than 4,000 safe and well checks and over 1,350 ‘Hospital to Home’ visits are among the highlights being reported by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for the year 2022-23.
Each year, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service looks into how it has performed against its targets. This is so it can ensure it is performing the best it possibly can, making sure that the residents of Warwickshire are getting a great service. For 2022/2023, the main highlights of the findings are as follows:
- Important, life-saving prevention messaging has reached 93,295 people. This includes over 4,000 safe and well checks, which is a free service to help people stay safe and reduce the risk of fire in the home. During the visit, the team provide fire safety advice, check that smoke alarms are working and replace/install new ones if needed. To book a check, click here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/safeandwell
- 4,537 incidents were attended. This figure includes everything from Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) to house fires and all in between. This number is 24% higher than the previous year.
- There were 1,352 ‘Hospital to Home’ visits, which support elderly and vulnerable patients who have been treated at hospital and are well enough to return home to get back to where they feel safe and can be supported to live independently.
- It took an average of just under 9 minutes for the service to be on the scene of a reported fire incident.
- 84% of life risk and property emergency calls were handled within 90 seconds.
- In the area of Fire Protection, 1,847 premises in the county have been directly influenced by our work, including building and planning regulations consultations, post fire inspections, licensing applications/renewals, marriage act applications/renewal, sports grounds, business fire safety checks and heritage property.
The research also found that a staggering 90% of the 196 Accidental Dwelling Fires (ADFs) were confined to the room of origin. This could be because of several reasons including closing doors, a quick response time and assertive actions by firefighters. The property owner and/or its occupants may have also had a fire door, making the spread of fire almost impossible.
Councillor Andy Crump, Warwickshire County Council’s portfolio holder for Fire & Rescue and Community Safety, said “It has been another fantastic year for Warwickshire’s Fire and Rescue Service which has produced amazing results. We should remember that these have been achieved while the severe heat conditions of last summer greatly increased risk.
“These figures are a testament to those working both in the forefront of the service attending incidents, and also those in the background who do so much to prevent accidents and fires, educating and empowering communities to take positive steps to help protect themselves.
“An excellent fire service relies on successful teamworking, and this report shows exactly that. From those arranging the safe and well checks, to those handling the incoming emergency telephone calls, everybody has worked hard to keep the people of Warwickshire safe. I extend the thanks of the county council to all the service’s staff.”
If you are looking at ways of improving fire safety in your home or business, go to warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafety for useful advice. You can also keep up with what Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service gets up to by following them on their various social media accounts.