KFRS praise for Army assistance and planning success
http://www.dailyfix.co.uk/articles/81067/1/KFRS-praise-for-Army-assistance-and-planning-success/Page1.html
By Chief Editor
Published on 11 Jan 2010
Kent Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer Charlie Hendry has thanked the Army for its ongoing assistance during the inclement weather and confirmed that military units will continue to be on standby at certain fire stations across the county for the next 24 hours.
With weekend forecasts of unprecedented weather conditions, KFRS took the decision to ask the army to be on stand-by to assist with their heavy all terrain 4X4 vehicles to supplement KFRS's own capability.
Charlie Hendry said: “As an emergency rescue service we have to be ready to prepare for every eventuality. and being able to call on the army is an established aspect of Kent's resilience planning. We are pleased at how well it has worked so far and want to thank the army for getting their crews and vehicles to our fire stations so swiftly on Saturday and also for the way they have worked so closely with our crews.
“The public of Kent and Medway have responded to our call for ensuring they stay safe and although there haven’t been any significant incidents when the Army’s equipment has been specifically needed, they have accompanied us on a small number of callouts during the weekend and we have asked that they continue to do so over the next 24 hours because some specific areas and communities may still be difficult to reach.”
The military units are based at Ashford, Folkestone, Maidstone, Thames-side in Gravesend, Medway (Watling Street), Thanet (Westwood Cross) and Tunbridge Wells. The units consist of a 4 tonne lorry and a Landrover, both of which have 4X4 capability.
Over the weekend, the unit at Medway accompanied fire crews on eight occasions. The most serious incident was a kitchen fire at Sturdee Avenue in Gillingham on Sunday afternoon when a man in his thirties left cooking unattended and tried to tackle the blaze which then broke out. He required hospital treatment for burns to his hands and face.
Charlie Hendry warns this sort of incident highlights how Kent and Medway residents must continue to take care at home, as well as on the roads, during the bad weather.
He added: “Fortunately, people have generally been listening to safety advice from ourselves and the other emergency services and the number of callouts for our firefighters has been relatively low but until all roads are re-opened, we would continue to urge residents to take extra safety precautions at home.”
It is important to remember the following safety tips to keep you and your family safe during this chilly spell:
• If you plan to use an open fire, make sure your chimney is swept as built up soot and ash can cause chimney fires.
• Portable heaters should be dust free and kept well away from anything that could catch fire
• Candles should be placed on a non flammable surface and never be left unattended
• Snow and ice on the roads are causing dangerous driving conditions. Do not travel unless your journey is absolutely necessary.
• Make sure you have a working smoke alarm and test it.
For more information on fire safety please log onto www.kent.fire-uk.org
With weekend forecasts of unprecedented weather conditions, KFRS took the decision to ask the army to be on stand-by to assist with their heavy all terrain 4X4 vehicles to supplement KFRS's own capability.
Charlie Hendry said: “As an emergency rescue service we have to be ready to prepare for every eventuality. and being able to call on the army is an established aspect of Kent's resilience planning. We are pleased at how well it has worked so far and want to thank the army for getting their crews and vehicles to our fire stations so swiftly on Saturday and also for the way they have worked so closely with our crews.
“The public of Kent and Medway have responded to our call for ensuring they stay safe and although there haven’t been any significant incidents when the Army’s equipment has been specifically needed, they have accompanied us on a small number of callouts during the weekend and we have asked that they continue to do so over the next 24 hours because some specific areas and communities may still be difficult to reach.”
The military units are based at Ashford, Folkestone, Maidstone, Thames-side in Gravesend, Medway (Watling Street), Thanet (Westwood Cross) and Tunbridge Wells. The units consist of a 4 tonne lorry and a Landrover, both of which have 4X4 capability.
Over the weekend, the unit at Medway accompanied fire crews on eight occasions. The most serious incident was a kitchen fire at Sturdee Avenue in Gillingham on Sunday afternoon when a man in his thirties left cooking unattended and tried to tackle the blaze which then broke out. He required hospital treatment for burns to his hands and face.
Charlie Hendry warns this sort of incident highlights how Kent and Medway residents must continue to take care at home, as well as on the roads, during the bad weather.
He added: “Fortunately, people have generally been listening to safety advice from ourselves and the other emergency services and the number of callouts for our firefighters has been relatively low but until all roads are re-opened, we would continue to urge residents to take extra safety precautions at home.”
It is important to remember the following safety tips to keep you and your family safe during this chilly spell:
• If you plan to use an open fire, make sure your chimney is swept as built up soot and ash can cause chimney fires.
• Portable heaters should be dust free and kept well away from anything that could catch fire
• Candles should be placed on a non flammable surface and never be left unattended
• Snow and ice on the roads are causing dangerous driving conditions. Do not travel unless your journey is absolutely necessary.
• Make sure you have a working smoke alarm and test it.
For more information on fire safety please log onto www.kent.fire-uk.org