Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – Page 7 – The NEN

Storm Arwen sees calls to SFRS almost triple

Over the twenty-four-hour period from 7am on Friday, November 26, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service received more than 900 emergency calls – almost three times the normal number – with more than 500 of these being due to the impact of the severe weather associated with Storm Arwen affecting many areas of the country.

During this same period of time, firefighters were mobilised to more than 500 incidents, many of which were related to high winds, with areas in the North and East of Scotland being worst affected.

Between 3pm and midnight on Friday, November 26 the Service’s Operations Control rooms in Dundee and Edinburgh received more than 500 weather related emergency calls, which included calls for assistance to make damaged buildings safe and road traffic collisions.

The impact of the weather was also felt by the Service, with damage to the roof of Altens Community Fire Station in Aberdeen.

On duty firefighters and appliances were deployed to neighbouring stations to ensure fire cover for the area was maintained. In addition, a fire appliance from Galashiels in the Borders was struck by falling trees during the storm while attending an incident and the firefighters were removed to safety with no injuries recorded.

John Dickie is an Assistant Chief Officer in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He said: “This has been an exceptional weather event and a challenging night where we received a high number of weather related calls.

“We have seen high numbers of emergency calls from the Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Fife, East Lothian and Scottish Borders areas where many buildings were damaged by the high winds – resulting in a significant localised response.

“Firefighters also attended a number of other incidents including road traffic collisions and fires.

“My thanks must go to our firefighters and Operations Control staff for their outstanding work overnight in very challenging conditions, and to our partners for their continued assistance.”

For safety advice on severe weather visit – https://www.readyscotland.org/are-you-ready/severe-weather/

For the latest forecast where you are:

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice

Police Scotland welcomes a reduction in incidents over Bonfire Night

Local resources and specialist national teams from Police Scotland have again come together to deploy on Bonfire Night, with the organisation recording 20 per cent fewer calls and reported incidents in comparison to last year.

A policing plan under the name Operation Moonbeam was introduced in 2018 in response to significant public disorder and anti-social behaviour the previous year. This had included targeted attacks on the blue light services responding to emergency calls during the Fireworks Night period.

Throughout Thursday, 4 November, and Friday, 5 November, 2021, 649 calls were received by police in relation to fireworks, and a further 105 regarding fires. In 2020 these figures were 798 and 153, respectively.

Operation Moonbeam lead, Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said: “Due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, again, there were fewer organised events this year.

“It is very encouraging that we saw a reduction in calls during this traditionally high-demand period. I want to thank everyone who heeded our advice to enjoy themselves in a safe and responsible manner.

“However, unfortunately a number of police officers as well as colleagues from the other emergency services were targeted by a minority of people intent on causing disorder. I utterly condemn this behaviour.

“Thankfully, none of those affected sustained serious injuries but no-one should have to face violence in the course of their duties. These kind of incidents put intense additional pressure on the emergency services and impact our officers’ ability to respond to other people in need.

“We will continue to thoroughly investigate these incidents in the coming days so as to identify those involved.”

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens, Director of Service Delivery for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Attacks on our firefighters are completely unacceptable.

“This type of behaviour not only prevents our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion, but it can impact on our emergency service colleagues – including the police when they must escort us at the scene.

“This type of behaviour is, of course, carried out by a very small minority and we once again thank our communities for their continuing support and working together with us to stay safe.”

Bonfire Night: Three firefighters injured in eight attacks on crews

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) received more than 1000 calls from the public during an eight hour period

Firefighters across Scotland dealt with more than 370 bonfires on one of their busiest nights of the year yesterday.

Initial figures indicate that crews responded to approximately 374 bonfires across the country between 3.30pm and 11.30pm on Friday, November 5.

Meanwhile, Operations Control handled more than 1020 calls from members of the public.

There were also eight reported attacks on crews, with three injuries reported.

With public events cancelled amid continuing Covid-19 restrictions – and in Glasgow due to the evening coinciding with the COP26 event – the Service had appealed to the public to be aware of the dangers of both fireworks and deliberate fire-setting and to also consider the impact of their actions on communities and emergency services.

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens is Director of Service Delivery for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He said: “Bonfire Night is traditionally one of our busiest nights of the year.

“I would like to pay tribute to the professionalism and resilience of our frontline and Operations Control firefighters and our support staff who have shown extreme dedication over this period.

“I must also thank our partners, and indeed communities across Scotland, for their continuing support in sharing and heeding our safety messaging.”

Libby Logan is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Area Commander for Operations Control. She said: “This was a busy and challenging evening, but I would like to praise our Operations Control staff who have once again worked tirelessly to ensure we respond to those who need us the most.

“Their dedication has allowed us to meet this challenge and continue to protect communities throughout Bonfire Night.”

Condemning attacks on crews, Assistant Chief Officer Stevens added: “Attacks on our firefighters are completely unacceptable.

“This type of behaviour is, of course, carried out by a very small minority and we once again thank our communities for their continuing support and working together with us to stay safe.”

Fireworks Safety: Advice from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Watching fireworks can be great fun for children. However, figures show that, more often than not, it’s children rather than adults who are injured by fireworks.

If you are looking to enjoy fireworks, the SFRS always advise to attend a safe, organised public display. Events may be cancelled or limited this year due to COVID-19.

The period around Nov 5^th is traditionally one of the busiest for our fire crews. Scotland needs its firefighters for real emergencies. Attending bonfires can cost life saving minutes getting to a house fire.

CONFIRMED EVENTS

It is safer, better for the environment and often less expensive to attend organised public firework displays.

It is now ILLEGAL for the general public to set fireworks off before 6pm and after 11pm in the evening (this extends to midnight on 5th November and 1am on New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali).

If you are unable to attend an organised display, we would ask you to consider the impact of fireworks on people and animals. It is often children rather than adults who are injured by fireworks.

The noise and lights that fireworks emit can also be overwhelming for people with a sensory impairment and those with neurological differences such as autism. Animals can also find fireworks particularly distressing.

COVID-19

With COVID-19 leaving many organised public events cancelled, we know that people may consider hosting their own events.

First and foremost, we would urge all of our communities to follow advice and guidelines around social distancing to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This is already a traditionally busy period of the year for ourselves and our partners and it is very important that we maintain an ability to respond to other emergencies.

We are therefore strongly encouraging anyone who does wish to host a private event to reduce the risk by ensuring to familiarise themselves with our firework code and fire safety guidance.

Download our Bonfire & Fireworks Safety leaflet so you can enjoy your evening responsibly.

Crackle and Moonbeam: Capital Police prepare for Bonfire Night

Police in Edinburgh have launched their annual campaign to keep the public safe and deter fireworks-related disorder over Bonfire Night.

Operation Crackle, which runs from today (Thursday 4^th November), to Saturday 6^th November, sees local officers deployed throughout the city to address the range of criminality that typically arise as a result of the antisocial use of fireworks during the bonfire period.

In advance community policing teams have been working alongside the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the City of Edinburgh Council and may other partners, to engage with young people through various channels and discuss the risks and consequences of using fireworks recklessly.

Officers have also carried out joint patrols with council Environmental Wardens and members of the fire service to carry out environmental audits and identify and safely remove any debris or materials that could be used to start bonfires.

In addition to Operation Crackle, Police Scotland has also launched its national public order response for Halloween and Bonfire Night, Operation Moonbeam.

As part of this campaign, a range of specialist and national resources will be available to Edinburgh’s officers if they are required.

The city’s dispersal zones will once again be in operation as an additional tactic to tackle and deter antisocial behaviour and disorder.

The zones will run between 4^th and 6^th November from 2pm to midnight each day.

Like the past four years, the zones include Muirhouse, West Pilton, Portobello, Loganlea, Saughton, Gorgie, Gilmerton, Moredun and Southhouse and enable police to instruct groups of two or more people who are congregating and behaving in an antisocial manner in these areas to disperse.

Those who fail to comply, or fail to stay away for up to 24 hours, can face arrest.

Chief Inspector Murray Tait from Edinburgh Division said: “Last year saw unprecedented restrictions placed on the public, in terms of gatherings within their homes and gardens, as well as all public bonfire and fireworks displays being cancelled and we are yet to see the return of such events.

“If you are planning to purchase and use fireworks over the coming days and weeks then please do so responsibly and within reasonable times of the day, so as not to disturb and distress vulnerable members of our community.

“We have been working alongside our various partners in advance to mitigate against fireworks-related disorder but nevertheless, we still anticipate a very busy period for ourselves and the other emergency services.

“We are committed to keeping not only the public, but our officers and emergency service colleagues safe, and we are grateful that Operation Crackle officers will once again be supported by the specialist resources as part of Operation Moonbeam.

“I would ask that parents and guardians have frank conversations with the young people in their care and remind them that behaving recklessly with fireworks can not only put lives at risk, but will result in arrest and a criminal record.”

Council urges landlords and homeowners to get ready for new fire safety legislation

The City of Edinburgh Council is reminding all city landlords and homeowners that every home in the Scotland must comply with new fire safety legislation which will come into force early next year.

By February 2022, all Scottish homes will need to be fitted with interlinked smoke and heat alarms which talk to each other – so when one goes off, they all go off.

As Edinburgh’s biggest social landlord, the Council is currently working with its contractors to fit new interlinked smoke and heat alarms, so that every one of its 20,000 Council-owned homes meets the new legislation and is made even more fire safe.

When this work’s done in each property, the electrical contractors will also undertake an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) if one has not been carried out recently.

Older residents in particular are being asked to be aware of the new fire safety legislation.

The Council’s Older People’s Champion, Councillor Catherine Fullerton, is calling on everyone who manages properties for older tenants in Edinburgh to make sure all new standards are met so everyone has the best chance of getting to safety in the event of a fire.

Cllr Fullerton said: “It’s absolutely vital that landlords and property management companies, particularly those that have a responsibility for older people within our communities, understand the new fire safety rules coming into force and act on them as quickly as possible. All properties, without exception, must be fitted with the new interlinking alarms, heat alarms and, where required, carbon monoxide detectors too.

“I’d also urge older people or people with older relatives who own their own homes to check out the Scottish Government’s dedicated ‘Fire safety for homeowners’ webpages for more details and, if necessary, to help them to get their homes fitted with the right kind of alarms. There is also clear guidance for private and social tenants as well as new build homes.

“I’d encourage everyone to be sure they are using a Trusted Tradesperson to change their fire alarms to meet the new law – please don’t run the risk of having faulty or non-compliant ones fitted.”

A ‘Trusted Trader’ in Edinburgh can be found by using this website:

www.trustedtrader.scot/Edinburgh/

If an older person is receiving Universal Credit, Edinburgh Care and Repair Service has been awarded funding from the Scottish Government to provide this service for free. If not, there will be a reasonable charge.

You can telephone for further advice on 0131 337 111 or email reception@cre.scot.

Another weekend, another deliberate fire in Drylaw

There’s been another deliberate fire in North Edinburgh – for the third successive weekend.

This time, a garden shed in Easter Drylaw Drive was set ablaze in the early hours of this morning. Police, fire and ambulance services were on the scene from 1.30am and the road was temporarily closed while the fire was tackled.

It’s the third weekend in a row that there have been wilful fireraising incidents in the North Edinburgh community – and all have taken place in the early hours of the morning.

Last week’s meeting of Drylaw Telford Community Council discussed the arson incidents that took place on 18 September and the group issued an appeal on their Facebook page:

‘These fires were devastating to those affected and we are extremely lucky that more people were not injured. The “what if’s” do not bear thinking about.

‘The unusually dry weather for September that we have had recently would make any fire spread faster therefore It is so important that the perpetrators are caught and for this not to happen again.

‘The police have been talking to residents that have CCTV but we would urge anyone with CCTV, ring doorbell camera’s etc who have not yet been contacted to please contact:

The Police on 101 quoting incident number 0765 of the 18th
September 2021.
Anonomously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Message this page and we can forward information

‘Likewise, if anyone has any information at all, then please make contact using the above methods.’

Investigations are ongoing.

Consultation: modernising our fire and rescue services

The future role of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) as it adapts to meet new challenges is at the heart of a new consultation.

The overriding purpose of SFRS will remain the protection of communities, preventing fires and reducing their impact on society while maintaining the safety and mental wellbeing of staff.

However, the consultation will ask the public about the increasing impact of climate change and the need for SFRS to take account of greater risks from flooding and wildfires.

The importance of SFRS making a full contribution to the Scottish Government’s Net Zero emissions targets will also be highlighted at a time when Glasgow is preparing to host the COP26 environment conference in November.

Supporting the modernisation of SFRS and investing to allow it to expand its community safety and prevention work is a key commitment in the Programme for Government.

Other key issues in the consultation on an updated Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland include:

use of new technology and modernisation of facilities and equipment
effective use of resources
keeping rural communities safe

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “Throughout the pandemic SFRS has been at the forefront of our response in meeting the needs of local communities in any way they are able to, from delivering prescriptions and food to using rural fire stations as Covid testing sites.

“In addition to the challenges which Covid recovery brings, Scotland is also facing significant changes as a result of EU exit, climate change, population changes and the expectations the public holds for all public services.

“All organisations need to adapt to these new demands and this framework will pave the way for further evolution, just as the challenges faced by SFRS continue to evolve.

“While the challenges Scotland faces are ever more complex, they also serve to foster opportunities for dynamic public sector organisations like SFRS to flourish and we encourage everyone who has an interest in this important consultation to have their say.”

Take part in the consultation.

False Alarms Consultation: Firefighters respond to 30,000 workplace false alarms each year

Around 64,000 hours of firefighters’ time is needlessly spent each year checking out false alarms from workplaces, figures from the latest Scottish Fire and Rescue Service consultation show.

The Service mobilises on average two fire appliances and nine firefighters to each of the 28,479 false alarms – equating to around 57,000 unnecessary blue light journeys annually.

Most alarms are activated by faults or other causes like steam or burnt food with only two per cent actually involving a fire, most of which are put out before the arrival of crews.

The information has been shared by the national Service as part of its consultation on how to safely reduce call outs to false alarms, known as Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals (UFAS).

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens says businesses and partners can play a key role in reducing the figures and called on them to get involved in the consultation.

“The advantages of getting duty holders to accept their legal responsibilities and reducing these callouts are clear” said ACO Stevens, “Making this change means we can free up firefighters’ time, be even more responsive in genuine emergencies and use SFRS resources more effectively.

“We can also carry out more training and fire prevention activity, as well as realising the related benefits of improving road safety and reducing our carbon impact. These unnecessary blue light journeys bring risks to our crews, other road users and pedestrians as well as impacting the environment with an estimated 575 tonnes of carbon emissions produced – the equivalent of heating 230 homes a year.

“Businesses will also experience less disruption as they no longer need to wait for us to attend to give the all clear after a false alarm.”

The twelve-week consultation – which seeks views on three proposed options – is underway and while early analysis is encouraging with many members of the public taking part it also indicates a low response rate from the businesses and workplaces that are potentially most affected by the proposed changes.

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens added: “It may be that these businesses and organisations are taking their time to fully consider the proposed options and I’m also aware last month we were just coming out of a holiday period which is why we’re issuing this appeal for those most affected to take part in the consultation and play their part in helping to shape the future response model.”

The consultation brings the SFRS into line with the majority of UK fire and rescue services response to workplace automatic fire alarms (AFAs) explained Assistant Chief Officer Stevens: “The legal responsibility for dealing with an AFA alert lies with the duty holder of a property and most UK fire and rescue services now seek confirmation of a fire before attending. It’s now time for the SFRS make this change too.”

ACO Stevens added: “Each of the options, which have all been risk assessed, will see a significant reduction in the number of UFAS calls we attend. We want to know what those most affected think of our three proposed options I urge them to have their say on how they think we can best use our resources to keep them, their families and their communities even safer.”

The consultation document ‘Time for Change: Reducing Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals’ (UFAS) and survey can be accessed online at /consultations/ufas-consultation.aspx until Monday, October 11.

A report based on analysis of the consultation responses – including a preferred option – will be considered by the SFRS Board in December 2021. Any changes to service delivery will be implemented in a carefully managed process and in partnership with directly affected stakeholders.

Large Fire on George IV Bridge: please avoid the area

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are currently in attendance at a large #fire on George IV Bridge. More than 60 firefighters are working to extinguish the fire in the city centre.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 6.18am this morning (Tuesday, 24 August) to reports of a building on fire at George IV Bridge.

Operations Control mobilised nine appliances and two height vehicles to the area where the fire was found to be affecting a number of properties. A further three appliances were mobilised.

Crews remain on the scene and are expected to do so for some time as they work to make the area safe.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Deputy Assistant Chief Officer David Farries is the Incident Commander. He said: “This is undoubtedly a complex and challenging incident.

“I would like to thank our crews as they work to extinguish the fire. I would also like to thank our emergency services colleagues and local authority partners.

“We will remain in attendance for a considerable time yet as we work to contain the fire.”

DACO Farries continued: “We continue to ask people living nearby to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke.

“Road closures remain in place and we advise people to avoid the area and to allow access for emergency service vehicles.”

Nearby residents advised to keep windows & doors closed and road closures remain in place.

See @EdinPolSE & @edintravel for traffic advice and please avoid the area #edintravel