community safety – Page 41 – The NEN

Busy night for Scotland's firefighters

Firefighters attend over 500 bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night

Scotland’s firefighters faced a busy 5 November with initial figures showing Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews responded to more than 1,100 incidents including around 507 bonfires across the country last night.

Assistant Chief Officer Dave Boyle, the SFRS director of service delivery, said: “While it will take time to establish the full picture it’s clear we have seen a significant number of incidents requiring the attendance of our crews across Scotland.

“Firefighters responded to 999 calls from the Borders to the Western Isles, many of which related to bonfires that were unsupervised or endangered homes and other buildings.

“It’s important to remember however that our crews were not only involved in bonfire-related activities, they also responded to emergencies including building fires and road traffic collisions.

“As always their professionalism and specialist skills were available and put into practice wherever they were needed to protect the public.”

The importance of that campaign for people to Join Scotland’s Fight Against Fire was made clear as crews responded to a range of emergencies throughout the country.

Firefighters from Paisley, Renfrew, Clydebank, Easterhouse and Govan responded after a car reversed into a house in Renfrewshire. No-one was hurt in the incident at Sandy Road in Renfrew but crews worked to ensure the stability of the building.

It was one of 548 reported incidents in the west of Scotland between 4pm and midnight. Of these 275 were bonfires.

Crews were faced with a busy evening in the east of Scotland with over 30 firefighters from Larbert, Denny, Falkirk and Bo’ness attending a fire in a wood chipper in Cowie near Stirling at 5.20pm.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used three jets to extinguish the fire in the wood chipper that was in the open air and they continued to dampen down and check for hotspots until 8.30pm. It was one of 429 incidents in the east of Scotland, 140 of which were bonfires.

The north of Scotland saw 192 incidents including 92 bonfires. At 6:58pm five wheelie bins were set on fire in Balloan Road, Inverness. One appliance from Inverness was dispatched and crews used a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.

Two bonfires in the South Kessock area of Inverness were located by crews. One appliance from Inverness was dispatched to the scene and crews used a knapsack sprayer and hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.

And at 8.45pm an unsupervised bonfire was reported in School Road, North Tolsta, Isle of Lewis. Tyres had been thrown onto the fire and left to burn. One appliance from Stornoway attended and extinguished the fire using a hose reel jet.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, SFRS director of prevention and protection, said: “Over the weeks and months leading up to 5 November we called on people to help prevent needless incidents and ensure firefighters could quickly get to emergencies.

“By preventing bonfire-related incidents and helping to ensure our crews and their resources could quickly get where they were needed, responsible citizens have certainly played their part in protecting communities throughout Scotland.

“Along with our partners in the police and local authorities we have been actively working to raise awareness of the risks posed by fireworks and careless and poorly built bonfires.

“The fact is that every year these result in someone being hurt and the consequences for the person and their families can be devastating.

“Firefighters in every community are always ready to respond to emergencies and do whatever they can to save lives, but the sad reality is sometimes their very best efforts won’t be enough.

“We need the public’s help to prevent tragedies and so I would like to thank everybody who celebrated Guy Fawkes Night by going to an official event, as well as anyone who alerted local authorities to the build-up of bonfire materials.”

There were a small number of minor attacks on SFRS crews which included verbal abuse and missiles thrown at appliances; fortunately with no injuries or damage incurred. These included a single incident in the north and three in the west and two in the east.

ACO Boyle added: “Attacks on emergency responders are completely unacceptable and I am sure the public would be outraged by the small number of incidents where their firefighters have been targeted while working to protect people and property.

“Those responsible should know that the authorities take their mindless criminal actions extremely seriously and we work closely with police to ensure they are identified and held to account.”

#StrongerNorth: working together to make Pilton safer

#StrongerNorth initiaitive launched in WestPilton

Police Scotland, the city council and the local community have joined forces to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in North Edinburgh. Working together under the #StrongerNorth banner, they will work together to address community safety concerns across the area.

Last month, residents expressed anger at an apparent failure by local agencies to respond to concerns over antisocial behaviour in West Pilton. A public meeting followed the stabbing of a Chinese takeaway shop owner and residents demanded action to tackle gangs of ‘out of control’ youths. Last night’s meeting, again organised by West Pilton West Granton Community Council, was an opportunity for the authorities to respond.

Around twenty local residents attended the meeting in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre, and heard that both police and the city council have poured extra resources into the area to address community concerns. The agencies are working closely together on a number of initiaitives to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the area and local residents were told that ‘West Pilton will remain a high priority for us as long as it needs to be’.

Local area Commander Sarah Buchanan acknowledged that communication with the local community was not as good as it should have been and told the meeting that this now being addressed. “We are very aware of your concerns and we are acting to address these”, she said. ” It is really important to share information about what we are doing at all sorts of different levels and we will continue to do this. #StrongerNorth will help to improve communications with the local community- we will endeavour to get out as much information about what we are doing as we can, as quickly as we can.”

North Neighbourhood Manager Peter Strong highlighted a number of ongoing initiatives and assured the meeting that community concerns are being taken seriously. “We recognise there is a crisis, and we are here to help. This is not just about the council, or the police. It’s about all of us working together to make this a good community to stay in.”

Concerns were raised again over punishments and ‘rewards’ – there is still a perception that the ‘bad’ kids get all the treats to encourage them to change their behaviour, while ‘good’ kids go without.

Senior Children & Families official Alistair Gaw outlined procedures for dealing with offending children, and said: “The Children’s Hearings have substantial powers, but we are dealing with very serious problems. A number of these young people have had hundreds of charges”.

Community councillor Willie Black called for the local community to rally round to to support – and lead – efforts to change the area. “It’s fight or flight”, he said. “We don’t want to see people leaving the area, we’ve got to fight to make our community a vibrant place that people want to come to. There are some truly great things happening all across this area and we’ve got to build on that.

“We’re here – it’s our patch and we need to get it sorted. We can build an area where everyone can feel welcome – an area everyone can be proud of.”

#StrongerNorth Leaflet Nov 14

Stay safe: Environmental wardens issue bonfire advice

Guy Fawkes Night can be a lot of fun, but the build up to the big night can all too often bring fear and misery to communities too. North Neighbourhood Environmental Wardens team leader MARK BANNON offers some seasonal advice:

Advice from the SFRS is to attend a safely organised bonfire and firework display.

However if you must have a bonfire at home make sure it is well away from buildings, vehicles, trees, hedges, fences, power lines, telecommunications equipment and sheds and you must ensure that smoke does not cause a nuisance to neighbours or flying embers endanger neighbouring property.

• Never drink alcohol if you are tending a bonfire or setting off fireworks – remember it is an offence to consume alcohol in a public place.

• To reduce the emission of harmful smoke and combustion products bonfires should comprise of untreated wood and paper based materials only.

• There is a danger of explosion from pressurised containers or sealed vessels amongst bonfire material or irresponsibly thrown on burning bonfires.

• Never throw fireworks on bonfires.

• Never use flammable liquids to ignite bonfires – use proprietary fire lighters.

• Smoke from bonfires must not pose a public nuisance, affect visibility on roads or otherwise inconvenience vehicular traffic.

• Sparks, flying embers or burning debris must not endanger nearby property.

• Never leave a burning/smouldering bonfire unsupervised – make sure it is completely extinguished.

Any bonfire failing to satisfy safety conditions or where people are behaving irresponsibly may be deemed dangerous and as such, subject to being either removed, extinguished or otherwise made safe.

If you are aware of a bonfire being built on public land, you should report it to North Local Office 0131 529 5066. All bonfires built on public land will be investigated .

Monday 3 November

Please do not present excess domestic waste in view of the potential outcomes during the forthcoming bonfire night. You are also ,likely to receive a penalty notice from the environmental wardens

Tuesday 4/Wednesday 5 November

Please remove all domestic wheeled bins back into the curtilage of your property.

Mark Bannon
Team Leader Environmental Wardens, Services for Communities
North Neighbourhood Office, 8 West Pilton Gardens

Mark.bannon@edinburgh.gov.uk
0131 529 7450

West Pilton: tackling the scourge of antisocial behaviour

Brandin, a member of North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum, is concerned about the ongoing antisocial behavior in the area:

A gang of local youths have committed many crimes in North Edinburgh recently: they are an extreme danger to the public and themselves. The groups has at least twenty members and is based in Pilton.

The crimes they commit are inexcusable and disruptive to the community: their crimes include breach of the peace, vandalism and theft. Recently an attack on an innocent Chinese man has created massive fear in the North Edinburgh community.

A local shop in West Pilton is a meeting point for the gang. The shop owner does not want to be held responsible for them being outside his shop as the gang threaten anything that attempts to stop what they are doing.

Local people are keen for the police to start doing something about the gang but they are sometimes hindered by the law – police are not allowed to give chase to the troublesome youths as they tear up local green spaces and the streets due to the risk to the health and wellbeing to the riders, so the gang is able to run free, behaving like lunatics.

The police have caught many of the youths and many have dozens of charges on their criminal record. Many have been given ASBOs, but they just turn up again and never serve any jail time – which many locals think is appalling.

I spoke to an young lady who said that the group are a ‘joke’. She said the police are not doing enough as the group are extreme vandals who are are a big threat to the community. She added: “The young people have taken over the community and are committing needless crimes. The police have said that they don’t have the resources but it is not difficult to ask other police stations for the things they need. They have to do more – and fast – before things escalate.”

Local people are not happy with what the gang are doing and many feel the police are not doing enough to stop the gang. At a public meeting in West Pilton recently the public made their views clear to councillors and police representatives.

The community is now waiting for explanations – and hopes that something is done to tackle the problem in the near future.

Brandin, North Edinburgh Young Peoples Forum

Josh and Nikki of the NEYPF took these photographs in and around West Pilton Park last week:

However local police insist problems in West Pilton are being addressed. In a statement on Facebook last Friday, Edinburgh Police Division said:

‘In North Edinburgh we are continuing to tackle antisocial behaviour and disorder in the area. Additional officers have been brought in from other parts of the East Command area to assist local officers particularly in the Forth Ward. In the last two weeks alone:

– 45 people have been arrested or reported for a variety of offences including possession of drugs, offensive weapons, antisocial behaviour, hate crime and housebreaking.

– 14 people have been arrested on warrants issued by the Court.

– 8 stolen vehicles have been recovered in the area and returned to their rightful owners.

– Over 120 persons have been stopped and searched with 12 being found in possession of suspected controlled drugs.

– Road checks have resulted in 4 uninsured vehicles being seized and taken off the street and the drivers reported.

Local Area Commander Chief Inspector Sara Buchanan added: “Police Scotland are committed to tackling these issues in conjunction with our partners in both the short and long term in order to keep people safe and support the local community”.

Police warning ahead of Sunday’s derby clash

Police in Edinburgh are reminding fans that a policing operation will be in place at this weekend’s derby match to identify anyone in possession of alcohol, fireworks or flares.

Over 14,000 spectators are expected at Easter Road Stadium tomorrow for the game, which kicks off at 12.15pm. Antisocial drinking in the surrounding streets will not be tolerated and officers will be enforcing the Edinburgh by-law in this regard.

In addition, police will be assisting stewards to carry out searches outside the ground to prevent illegal or prohibited items being smuggled in. A specially trained police dog will be deployed to detect explosive or combustible materials. Fans from both sides are urged to ensure their behaviour during the match does not put themselves or others in danger.

Superintendent Liz McAinsh said: “The atmosphere at the Edinburgh derby is always electric and we want all supporters to enjoy the day. Police will be patrolling around the stadium with a focus on stopping anti social street drinking and fans will be subject to searches as a condition of entry to the ground. A specialist search dog will be used to detect anyone in possession of fireworks or flares.

“Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe and while the behaviour of the vast majority of Hearts and Hibs fans is exemplary, the reckless conduct of a small minority could place everyone in danger.

“Anyone found to be in possession of these items, or any other objects that are not permitted within the stadium will be refused entry and may face further police action.”

Eyre Place attack: man to appear in court

A man will appear in court today following an alleged sex attack on a woman in Canonmills.

Police confirmed a suspect aged 35 is being held in connection with the attempted rape of a 21-year-old woman near Smithies pub in Eyre Place.

He is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today.

The victim was said to have been subjected to a serious sexual assault at about 4am on 8 October.

Ambulance service launches dementia initiative

3,800 copies of learning resource to be distributed across Scotland

Scottish Ambulance Service clinicians are set to benefit from a new learning resource on dementia designed and developed by NHS Education for Scotland and the Service itself.

It is essential that ambulance clinicians are able to recognise when a person may have dementia, and that they are are confident of their ability to provide appropriate support, care and treatment. The bespoke resource will help ambulance clinicians to give informed, high quality and person-centred support to people with dementia, their families and carers.

Ambulance clinicians will frequently come into contact with people with dementia, their families and carers as well as people with early signs of dementia who have not had a diagnosis. While recognising the often immediate and time limited nature of their contact, this will have an influence on the impact of the whole care experience for the person with dementia, their families and carers.

Pauline Howie, Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “This new learning resource is an invaluable clinical support tool that will be issued to every one of our frontline emergency staff, as well as our Patient Transport Service teams.

“People with dementia often face many complex challenges and issues and this initiative, which is enhanced by a number of specially trained ‘Dementia Champions’ within the Service, will help our teams to provide the most appropriate care and treatment for people with dementia and their families and carers.”

Malcolm Wright, NHS Education for Scotland Chief Executive added: “We are delighted to have developed this important resource in partnership with the Scottish Ambulance service. NHS Education for Scotland is committed to providing educational resources and training opportunities for the entire health workforce to support rights-based, and person-centred approaches to the care, support and treatment of people with dementia and their families and carers. This new, targeted resource is a valuable addition to our suite of resources developed as a part of the ‘Promoting Excellence’ work force development programme”.

The learning resource focuses on understanding dementia, effective communication, and providing positive person-centred support. It can be used for individual learning, learning as a group or team, in a facilitated learning event, or in a mixture of all of these approaches.

As well as providing key learning, activities and scenarios are used throughout the learning resource to help encourage exploration and reflection about real practice issues.

Pilton attack: third man charged

A third man has been charged with attempted murder following an attack on a Chinese takeaway shop owner in West Pilton last week.

Jie Yu, 37, was punched, kicked and stabbed in a horrific attack last Wednesday evening in in West Pilton Park. The owner of the Pekin Garden in Ferry Road Drive remains in a “serious but stable” condition having now been moved to St John’s hospital in Livingston.

Since the attack Police Scotland has followed a positive line of enquiry and senior officers were confident that the attackers would be tracked down.

Police Scotland confirmed that a 19-year-old man has now been arrested and charged with attempted murder. He will appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court later, as will another 24-year-old man who was charged yesterday.

An 18-year-old man was charged with attempted murder and appeared before the Sheriff Court on Monday.

Freshers fire safety call

With students moving to study at universities and colleges throughout Scotland firefighters are calling on everyone to help keep themselves and their new communities safe from fire …

September sees young people arrive in cities and towns across the country for Freshers’ Week and as students get familiar with their new surroundings, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) wants them to act to prevent tragedies.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, the SFRS director of prevention and protection, said: “Many young people will be leaving home for the first time and it’s obviously an exciting point in their lives.

“When moving into halls of residence or rented accommodation there’s a lot for these students to take in, but it’s absolutely crucial everyone recognises the danger posed by fire and understands the steps needed to reduce the risk.

“Our message to students is that you’re responsible for your own safety and that of the people around you.

“We need you to help us protect the communities you’re now part of, so please take a minute to look at our student safety leaflet – it’s essential reading.”

Firefighters will visit universities and colleges across Scotland throughout September to offer advice and help raise awareness of fire safety as an issue.

Parents also have a role to play, and SFRS is eager for anyone who has a son or daughter moving away from home to discuss fire safety with them.

There can be a greater risk of fire within shared rented accommodation and people should check to ensure there are working smoke and heat alarms.

Everyone should also make sure there are no bars on the windows and that they can be easily opened from the inside, and check for fire resisting labels on the furniture. Furniture made before 1988 may not be match or fire-resistant.

ACO Ramsay added: “People’s actions have a big impact on the chances of a fire starting or causing injuries or deaths.

“We want students to recognise that if you have consumed alcohol then your decision-making and judgement will be impaired, putting you and other residents at higher risk from fire.

“Choosing never to cook while under the influence of alcohol is a key step that will significantly reduce the risk of a tragedy.

“Similarly, anyone who is under the influence of alcohol should avoid smoking while sitting down, as it’s too easy to nod off and start a fire with potentially horrific consequences.”

In halls of residence, false alarms are a particular concern. Most emergency fire calls to student accommodation are false alarms caused by carelessness and negligence.

Having to attend false alarms risks lives, as firefighters may be delayed in getting to a real emergency where every second is critical.

The SFRS student safety leaflet – which also contains simple tips to avoid false alarms caused by cooking, smoking materials, candles, steam from bathrooms and more – can be downloaded below:

students___young_people

To join Scotland’s fight against fire and book a free home fire safety visit text ‘fire’ to 61611, call 0800 0731 999, or visit the SFRS website to complete an online form.

Edinburgh is the UK’s safest city

Edinburgh tops YouGov safest city poll

A new survey has revealed that Edinburgh is seen as the safest city in Britain. The YouGov research asked participants how safe they feel ten British cities are – and Edinburgh came out well on top.

When asked about the capital, 68% of participants – 1724 from across the UK took part in the survey – said it is ‘totally safe’ while only 14% believe Edinburgh is ‘totally unsafe’.

The other cities surveyed were Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol.

Glasgow came eighth in the poll, with 44% of people saying it is safe and 38% saying it is unsafe – although Scots who took part in the survey put both Scottish cities higher: 86% said Edinburgh is safe and Glasgow polled 68% – but Bradford was seen as the least safe city in the UK.

Bradford is perhaps best remembered to outsiders for the race riots of 2001 which lasted three days and led to hundreds of arrests (above). It is the only city mentioned in the poll where more people (42%) say it is unsafe than safe (35%). Britain’s second most dangerous city according to the public is Birmingham: people are divided 41-41% on its safety.

Edinburgh’s senior police officer Chief Superintendent Mark Williams welcomed the findings and said he is ‘delighted but not surprised’ by the poll.

Do you think Edinburgh is a safe city? Let us know!