The decision follows the acquittal of all three men at Stafford Crown Court.  Timothy Woodward, Paul Simmons and Adrian Ashley each faced four counts of manslaughter following the deaths of four of their colleagues at a warehouse fire in Atherstone-on-Stour, Warwickshire in 2007.

Graeme Smith, the Chief Fire Officer for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, said, “I am very pleased that the case against our three Incident Commanders has so comprehensively collapsed.  I expected nothing less.  It is now clear that these cases should never have been brought to court.  I am relieved that their ordeal is over but I also feel a sense of sorrow and remembrance for the four brave fire fighters who died at Atherstone-on-Stour in 2007.   We will now be seeking assurances from ministers that prosecutions like this never happen again.”

Mr Smith expressed anger at the fact that the arsonists responsible for the Atherstone fire and the deaths of four fighters had not been caught.  “Let me be clear about this,” he said.  “There is clear evidence that the Atherstone fire was arson.  The police clearly thought it was because in 2009 they arrested several people on suspicion of arson.  And during this court hearing we have discovered that the independent report into the cause of the Atherstone fire also concluded that it was arson.  So why have the arsonists not been apprehended?  And why instead did three innocent fire officers find themselves in the dock of a British court?”

“Something went badly wrong with this case.  It’s time for some answers.  I want some answers, the three Incident Commanders want some answers and the families of those who died deserve some answers too,” said Mr Smith.

Speaking shortly after the case ended Lee Howell, the President of the Chief Fire Officers’ Association said, “There are important national issues at stake here.  Do we want fire officers who are inflexible and ultra-cautious or do we want fire officers who use their initiative, their experience and their common sense when dealing with fires such as the one at Atherstone-on-Stour?  Currently fire fighters face a “no win” situation.  If they “play it by the book” they can find themselves pilloried as time serving “jobsworths” but if they use their initiative they can find themselves in court facing the loss of their liberty and their reputation.  I am seriously concerned that fire officers up and down the country will now be asking themselves… why on earth would I ever want to be an Incident Commander?”

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue and the Chief Fire Officers Association will be writing to the Home Secretary and the Justice Secretary in the next few days.

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service have been presented with a commemorative plaque by Poperinge Fire and Rescue Service in memory of the firefighters who lost their lives at a fire in Atherstone-on-Stour in 2007. 

The plaque was presented to the Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Richard Hobbs and Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Jim Onions by the Chief Fire Officer, Demitri Vanndrome during an exchange visit by the Belgium Fire and Rescue Service.

The friendship with Poperinge has been built over many years with regular visits by Warwickshire’s Colour Party who have been travelling to Belgium to attend the memorial in Poperinge on Remembrance Sunday.

Talking about the visit, Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, Jim Onions said:

”The recent visit by the Chief Fire Officer of Poperinge was a real honour for us. Firefighters around the world share a common bond and the ongoing friendship and professional camaraderie that we share with our colleagues in Poperinge is something that we treasure. During the visit we were presented with a commemorative plaque by the Service and in return we presented The Chief Fire Officer of Poperinge with a framed etching.”

Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Councillor Richard Hobbs who attended the memorial in Poperinge in 2011 said, ‘It has been a great pleasure to host the Firefighters from Poperinge, they have been great ambassadors for their country and their Fire and Rescue Service. We look forward to their next visit in 2014.”For more information on Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue

Young Firefighters from Kenilworth are celebrating this week after receiving a cheque from Waitrose for £464

Warwickshire County Council’s Young Firefighters Association, were put forward for the Waitrose initiative ‘Community Matters’ after being approached by a cadet from the Kenilworth YFA branch.  The initiative allocates £1,000 a month to each of Waitrose’s 190 branches to distribute amongst three local community projects. The YFA were chosen by shoppers as their charity of the month which earned the Association £464 to help with costs towards an outdoor activity weekend.

Young Firefighters Association Co-ordinator, Sue Such said

“We would really like to thank Waitrose and their customers for making us their charity of the month. The money we have received will be used to enhance the facilities we have available for young people from the Warwick and Kenilworth area to use.

“At present we have 13 young firefighters at this branch who meet once a week for two hours. During that time they undertake training in ladder and hose drills, take part in competitions and carry out work in their local community.”

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Gary Phillips said:

“I am delighted that our Young Firefighters have been nominated to receive this funding from Waitrose and the local community.

“The nomination for the YFA came from one of our cadets, George Halpin, who used his own initiative to approach Waitrose about the ‘Community Matters’ initiative.  This is really commendable and I am honoured to be part of a presentation event which highlights just how committed our young people are to the Service.”

The YFA in Warwickshire has been running since 1997. Meeting at least once a week on local fire stations young people can get involved in a variety of fun and challenging fire service related tasks and activities. These include:

• Marching
• Fire Service Drills
• Parades
• Pitching Ladders
• Hose Running

For further information on the Young Firefighters Association, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/yfa
 

PICTURE SHOWS: Les Moore, Roly Bayley, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, Cllr Richard Hobbs, Graeme Smith, Chief Fire Officer, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service

In the two weeks following it going fully operational on April 2, it engaged with more than 80 young people aged between 9 and 17 and attended five small fire incidents in the Nuneaton and Bedworth area.

And in the last couple of weeks the Small Fires Unit team have responded to a call for help from residents in the Whitestone area of Nuneaton, concerned at antisocial behaviour on Paul’s Land, an area of open space.

Since the concerns were raised the Small Fires Unit has visited the area several times with the Warwickshire Safer Partnership and Police Community Support Officers, and has actively engaged with young people in the area.

On 30th April the SFU found young people scaling the boundary fence. Names and addresses were taken and a Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service arson reduction officer and the local Police Community Support Officer are visiting the named youths. The area will continue to be visited by the SFU.

Meanwhile, action is also being taken to tackle small fires on Whittleford Park, a 600 acre overgrown site in the Camp Hill area.

The team will be regularly patrolling this area and tackling any antisocial behaviour they encounter.

Elsewhere in Camp Hill, Pride in Camp Hill has this week confirmed that 12 derelict properties, which have been causing issues with anti-social behaviour, are to be demolished in the next couple of weeks. So far 3 of the 12 have gone. These works have come about as a result of various partners working together to reduce arson in this area.

As well as a fire crew, a Police Community Support Officer and officer from Nuneaton and Bedworth Leisure Trust also travel on the SFU as part of their Outreach work. A drugs worker has also recently started going out on the SFU to help engage with young people and target problem areas.

The activities mentioned above are part of a wider scheme to target potential young fire starters using intelligence from the Police by visiting local schools and families.

Over the last 18 months there have been more than 30 Home Fire Safety Checks for vulnerable families through the Family Intervention Project in Nuneaton, helping them be safer in their homes. All this work is helping to target the most vulnerable to reduce the risk of fire.

Since October 2007 Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service has been running an Anti Social Behaviour Intervention Team in the Nuneaton and Bedworth area.

This team have lead the way in helping to reduce the problems associated with Anti Social Behaviour, achieving significant reductions in deliberate small fires. Due to its success, the project was rolled out around the county in 2010.

Cllr Richard Hobbs, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, said: “The team relied entirely on the principle of engagement, intervention and education, but could not actually fight the fires.

“The launch of the Small Fires Unit is the next logical step, and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service has taken this principle and moved it forwards by introducing a dedicated Small Fires Unit.

“This unit is proving its worth in tackling small fires and carrying on the principles created by ASBIT that have proved so successful.

“The capability to extinguish a small fire with this unit ensures that our main fire appliances are still available to respond to other emergencies where life may be at threat and not otherwise occupied at a small fire.”

The vehicle has been designed by the Fire Service for the specialist role of tackling Small Fires and allowing engagement with people in local communities.

Chief Fire Officer Graeme Smith added: “It is far smaller than a main fire appliance and has 4×4 capabilities, which allows it to get to the right place at the right time. The vehicle also has a ‘fogging’ unit which is a new technique of fighting fires that uses minimal amounts of water to extinguish a fire safely and rapidly.”

Rachel Jackson, Communities Manager at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, said: “We welcome the introduction of the Small Fires Unit and the continued focus of the Fire Service on providing interventions to reduce deliberate small fires in the Borough. The local Community Safety Partnership has identified anti-social behaviour, including small fires, as a priority for the next 12 months as Nuneaton and Bedworth remains the hotspot area for deliberate small fires within the county.

“We hope that this appliance will provide reassurance to communities that anti-social behaviour and fire setting will not be tolerated and as partners we will continue to work together to address it.”

Inspector Patrick Devereux, Neighbourhood Policing for Nuneaton and Bedworth, said: “This is an excellent example of how our partner agencies working together are having a positive effect for the people living in Nuneaton and Bedworth.

“The work the team is doing is helping to educate young people of the dangers of fire which in turn is reducing the number of incidents of anti social behaviour.”

The unit is based at Bedworth Fire Station and will cover the Nuneaton and Bedworth area.

For further information on the work of the Fire and Rescue Service visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue

Firefighters were called to a fire at Millward Brown UK Ltd on Olympus Avenue, Tachbrook Park, Leamington on Sunday 29 April 2012 at 3.35am. The fire was located on the first floor in the computer room.  Two appliances from Leamington attended the incident and crews quickly set into action to tackle the fire. It is believed the fire started in a large battery back up store which was situated in a metal cabinet. The radiant heat from the fire ignited some paper and cardboard, which could have easily spread, had the company’s fire suppression system not kicked in.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Gary Phillips said:

“Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service would like to commend Millward Brown UK Ltd for having a Fire Suppression System in place. Not only did it stop the fire from developing, but it also saved the business from going up in flames, which in this economic climate is a real benefit, not only for the organisation, but also for the staff who are employed there and the community as a whole.

“As a Fire and Rescue Service we have long been petitioning for suppression systems such as sprinklers to be fitted in homes and businesses.  In our role we see the devastation fires cause, but can get frustrated knowing that something as simple as a suppression or sprinkler system could stop a real disaster from occurring.”

 David Chantrey, Managing Director of Millward Brown in Warwick, commented:

“The safety of our staff and preserving our service to our clients are utmost priorities for us.  We’re delighted that the systems we have in place worked as they were designed to and would encourage other businesses to do the same. We’d also like to thank Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for their fast and professional response”.

Further information on business fire safety can be found at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/saferpremises

More than 1,249 fires were deliberately started in the last year, totalling to 1652 fire appliances being called to deal with the fires. Deliberate attacks on commercial premises cost an average of £4365 with deliberate fires in domestic premises estimated at £12,800.

Around half of the fires attended were rubbish or bin fires, with the biggest being derelict buildings and skips.

Arson Reduction Manager, Ian Tonner, said: “Deliberate fire setting is not only dangerous for the individual involved, but it can devastate communities, schools and businesses. In the worst cases, lives can be lost.

“Ultimately, our priority is to keep the public and our firefighters safe and reducing arson and anti-social behaviour plays a big part in how we achieve that. We also need to support businesses to stay in business during this economic downturn, by educating them on how to reduce the risks of arson attacks on their premises.”

Whilst arson is a real issue and one we continue to drive down, we have had some real success.  In just two years we have managed to almost halve the economic cost of fire in Warwickshire. This has been driven by both preventative measures and an excellent operational response. However, we can not be complacent, which is why we have recently

launched our Small Fires Unit, which is already working in communities affected by arson. In addition we remain committed to our partnerships as we work together to protect the community and make Warwickshire a safer place to live.

To reduce the chances of being a victim of arson either at home or for commercial premises, there are some simple steps you can take:

• Ensure your wheelie bin or your black bags are kept in a secure place away from buildings, so they cannot be set alight.
•  Put rubbish out on the day of collection and then bring your bin in as soon as possible.
• Never leave commercial bins open, keep them locked and secured before you leave the building for the evening and over the weekends.
• Using a skip for building work or rubbish removal? Try to fill it and remove it on the same day.

For more information on fire safety log onto  http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/warksfirerescue

Residents are being urged to take more care when cooking, as figures reveal that 58% of house fires attended in the last year in Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth were located in the kitchen or living room area.

In 2011/12, Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service attended 86 kitchen fires, a number of which left the homes severely damaged by fire and smoke damage. Cooking being left unattended is one of the most common causes of these fires, followed by faulty wiring and smoking materials.

Station Commander for the Warwick District, Jon Dixon said:

“Last year we attended 174 house fires in Warwickshire, sadly a number of these incidents could have easily been avoided, if more care was taken when using electrical appliances or things like tea towels were not left close to a naked flame.”

“I do appreciate that it is very easy to become distracted when cooking, but if you’re called away from the cooker, then take pans off the heat. It’s the easiest thing in the world to forget about them and before you know it, you will have burnt more than just the tea!”

It not all doom and gloom though, there are simple steps you can follow to reduce the chances of having a fire in your home:

• Don’t cook if you’re affected by alcohol or prescription drugs.
• Don’t put oven gloves or tea towels down on the cooker after you’ve use them!
• Always clean the grill pan after using it.
• Get a smoke alarm and test it weekly.
• In the event of a fire, have an escape route in place.
• Don’t take risks by tackling a fire. Get out, stay out and call 999.

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Councillor Richard Hobbs said: “Fires in the home are a real concern and our aim is to protect the community and make Warwickshire a safer place to live.

“By regularly checking electrical items and ensuring that cooking is not left unattended, you could dramatically reduce the chances of having a fire in your home, which could potentially save the lives of the ones you love.”

For more information on fire safety in the home or to apply for a free home fire safety check, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafetycheck

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has one of the lowest number of accidental house fires caused by smoking materials in the country.

However, despite the low numbers, the Service is still highlighting the dangers of smoking, especially when tired.

Nationally, more than a third of all deaths in fires in the home are caused by cigarettes. This makes smoking the single biggest killer in accidental fires in the home, often because of careless behaviour such as smoking in bed or not taking care after drinking alcohol. And when smokers fall asleep with a lit cigarette in hand, their proximity to the resulting fire seriously lowers their chance of escaping in time.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service are reminding smokers to ‘Put it Out, Right Out’ whenever they light up; to install smoke alarms on every level of the home; and, to test them regularly. Without a working smoke alarm you are four times more likely to die in an accidental fire in the home.

These simple steps can help prevent a cigarette fire in the home:

Never smoke in bed. Take care when you’re tired – it’s very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning and set furniture alight

Never smoke when under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If your lit cigarette starts a fire you could be less able to escape.

Put it out, right out!  Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished

Fit a smoke alarm and test it weekly. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and call 999

Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended – they can easily overbalance as they burn down

Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can’t tip over easily and is made of a material that won’t burn.

Community Fire Safety Manager, Moreno Francioso said:

“Whilst the number of accidental fires in the home caused by smoking material remains low in Warwickshire, we can not be complacent. Residents need to be aware that someone dies from a fire caused by cigarettes or smoking materials every five days. Despite a fall in the overall number of fires caused by these products, it’s still the biggest killer in accidental fires in the home across the country. “

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Councillor Richard Hobbs said:

“Every smoker should wake up to the risks they take every time they light up, and drop the habit of smoking whilst in bed or under the influence of alcohol. The risk of falling asleep before you ‘put it out, right out’ is just too great.

“Just two to three breaths of toxic smoke can render you unconscious, so why take the risk!“

If you do smoke in the home, then please make sure that you have a working smoke alarm on each floor of the property. It can give you the extra time you need to escape if the worst should happen.

For more information on fire safety in the home, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafetycheck

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service are asking residents from across Warwickshire if they have what it takes to be an on-call firefighter.

Local emergency services form an important part of any community and on-call Firefighters are a key element to that.

The Service is currently recruiting on-call firefighters to become part of a team ready to face any emergency. This could range from fires, floods and road traffic collisions to chemical spillages and community fire safety activities.

Many on-call Firefighters will already have full or part-time jobs working within their local community, but when the call comes, they have to be ready to go.

Working alongside full-time Firefighters, on-call Firefighters are fully trained to save lives and protect their community. There is a shortage at the moment of people who are able to turn out and help in an emergency, particularly in the south of the county.

Currently we are looking to recruit at the following stations:

• Kenilworth
• Fenny Compton
• Bidford
• Wellesbourne
• Shipston
• Stratford
• Henley

To become an on-call firefighter all you need is to be fit and healthy and live or work within a few minutes the fire station currently recruiting. Because you cannot predict when you will be needed, you have to be flexible and available at short notice.

On average, you will be called out two or three times a week for a couple of hours. You will also be expected to attend weekly drill nights and occasional training courses.

So if you think you’ve got what it takes, this is your chance to prove it!

For more details and an application pack log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue or e-mail recruitment@warwickshire.gov.uk  The closing date for all applications is the 4th May 2012.

We’re all losing sleep when the clocks go forward, but testing your smoke alarm on Sunday 25th March could save you from losing a lot more.

You’re more than four times as likely to die in a fire without a working smoke alarm, but only half of people who own one say they take the time to check it regularly.

Cllr Richard Hobbs, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, said: “Everyone soon notices when a clock stops ticking, but it’s not so easy to be sure that your smoke alarm is still in working order. Test your smoke alarm regularly to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.”

For further information, see here

For further information on the work of the Fire and Rescue Service visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue