Day: January 5, 2012

Thieves want to ride your bicycle so keep it locked up

POLICE have warned residents who received bikes as Christmas presents to invest in good-quality locks to help deter thieves.

Local Police often patrol the cycle paths on bikes. (Picture: Michael Lindsay)

 

Professional gangs are cashing in on the city’s cycling boom, taking bikes from streets, common stairways and sheds.

Pc Janie Harman said: “I would encourage bicycle owners to think about security and to use strong D-locks, never leave their bicycle unattended without securing it and to park in well-lit areas covered by CCTV, if possible.

“I would also ask people to take a few minutes to register their bicycle details on a national register at www.immobilise.com.”

The number of bikes reported stolen in Edinburgh fell four per cent between April 2010 and last March compared with the previous year, from 1706 to 1635.

Last month, figures revealed that only one in ten bikes stolen by thieves in Lothian and Borders is recovered.

Between 2008 and 2010, 6047 bikes were reported as stolen in the area with just 627 being recovered.


Fire Service inundated with emergency calls

Lothian and Borders Fire and  Rescue Service received 250 999 calls yesterday as the  area was battered by extreme weather conditions.  John Dickie, Head of  Operations for the Service said: “This figure shows our control room staff were  exceptionally busy, with around 50 to 60 calls expected during this time on an  average Tuesday.”

John Dickie, Head of Operations at Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue.

“Our crews worked closely  with other emergency workers at many of the incidents, with public safety  always at the forefront of their minds. Many incidents involved reports of  unsafe structures, trees and debris blocking roads and road traffic collisions.

“Many of the calls to the  Control Room were with concerns about unsafe structures including fallen  chimneys and guttering. We responded to these incidents to assess the risks,  provide specialist advice to other emergency services and local authority personnel  and make areas safe or ensure cordons are in place as necessary.

“As well as dealing with  weather related calls we also responded as  normal to automatic fire alarm calls, reports of fires and other emergencies.”

Shortly after 9.30am  firefighters were called to a report of an articulated lorry which had  overturned on the A1 south of Dunbar, near to Lafarge cement works. A  32-year-old man was cut free from the wreckage and taken to Edinburgh Royal  Infirmary in an hour- long rescue operation. We dealt with a further three  overturned LGV’s in our area yesterday.

John Continued: “Whilst we  were exceptionally busy we had the appropriate resources in place to respond to  problems caused by today’s high winds, and our firefighters carried out a  commendable job in what were very difficult conditions.”

Fire Service inundated with emergency calls

Lothian and Borders Fire and  Rescue Service received 250 999 calls yesterday as the  area was battered by extreme weather conditions.  John Dickie, Head of  Operations for the Service said: “This figure shows our control room staff were  exceptionally busy, with around 50 to 60 calls expected during this time on an  average Tuesday.”

John Dickie, Head of Operations at Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue.

“Our crews worked closely  with other emergency workers at many of the incidents, with public safety  always at the forefront of their minds. Many incidents involved reports of  unsafe structures, trees and debris blocking roads and road traffic collisions.

“Many of the calls to the  Control Room were with concerns about unsafe structures including fallen  chimneys and guttering. We responded to these incidents to assess the risks,  provide specialist advice to other emergency services and local authority personnel  and make areas safe or ensure cordons are in place as necessary.

“As well as dealing with  weather related calls we also responded as  normal to automatic fire alarm calls, reports of fires and other emergencies.”

Shortly after 9.30am  firefighters were called to a report of an articulated lorry which had  overturned on the A1 south of Dunbar, near to Lafarge cement works. A  32-year-old man was cut free from the wreckage and taken to Edinburgh Royal  Infirmary in an hour- long rescue operation. We dealt with a further three  overturned LGV’s in our area yesterday.

John Continued: “Whilst we  were exceptionally busy we had the appropriate resources in place to respond to  problems caused by today’s high winds, and our firefighters carried out a  commendable job in what were very difficult conditions.”

Fire Service inundated with emergency calls

Lothian and Borders Fire and  Rescue Service received 250 999 calls yesterday as the  area was battered by extreme weather conditions.  John Dickie, Head of  Operations for the Service said: “This figure shows our control room staff were  exceptionally busy, with around 50 to 60 calls expected during this time on an  average Tuesday.”

John Dickie, Head of Operations at Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue.

“Our crews worked closely  with other emergency workers at many of the incidents, with public safety  always at the forefront of their minds. Many incidents involved reports of  unsafe structures, trees and debris blocking roads and road traffic collisions.

“Many of the calls to the  Control Room were with concerns about unsafe structures including fallen  chimneys and guttering. We responded to these incidents to assess the risks,  provide specialist advice to other emergency services and local authority personnel  and make areas safe or ensure cordons are in place as necessary.

“As well as dealing with  weather related calls we also responded as  normal to automatic fire alarm calls, reports of fires and other emergencies.”

Shortly after 9.30am  firefighters were called to a report of an articulated lorry which had  overturned on the A1 south of Dunbar, near to Lafarge cement works. A  32-year-old man was cut free from the wreckage and taken to Edinburgh Royal  Infirmary in an hour- long rescue operation. We dealt with a further three  overturned LGV’s in our area yesterday.

John Continued: “Whilst we  were exceptionally busy we had the appropriate resources in place to respond to  problems caused by today’s high winds, and our firefighters carried out a  commendable job in what were very difficult conditions.”