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Statistics for the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009

                    Statistics for the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2007
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The Fire & Emergency Support Service Vehicle (FESS) has been working with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service since July 1998.  The adapted caravanette style vehicle run by around 33 volunteers provides practical and emotional support to people in the West Yorkshire area affected by a domestic fire or similar Fire and Rescue Service incident e.g. domestic flooding, evacuations, including RTC`s where the vehicle ends up in a house. This year an additional 12-day time volunteers from the Community Safety Dept supplemented the service.  Our service is delivered in the first few hours after the fire/incident and supplements the activities of the statutory services by providing a higher level of support than that demanded by the statutory obligations of the emergency services and local authority.  The vehicle is fully equipped with non-perishable food and clothes along with other items. 

One family grateful for the help provided by the FESS in 2009 commented:

 “We were at a loss, in shock, no idea what to do after the fire, until it was suggested by the Fire Service we use the British Red Cross to help us out. They were brilliant gave us warmth and helped us with insurance advice ”.

The Senior Fire Officer at the scene of the incident initiates the call out by informing the Control Centre, requesting the attendance of the vehicle where the volunteers can assist with welfare and practical issues.  The incident does not have to be large, just that the victims may be in trauma or in need of the facilities, which the Red Cross volunteers can offer. 

The vehicle is not intended to be used as sleeping accommodation; the services on offer are free of charge and the primary considerations and uses are: -

  1. Assist those affected by the fire/incident by giving immediate temporary shelter and to identify their own needs.
  2. Provide or arrange for the provision of practical and emotional support and assistance with the care of children.
  3. Signposting to other relevant organisations.
  4. Light refreshments, shower, washing, toilet facilities, provision of toiletries.
  5. Telephone.
  6. Transport to relatives or temporary accommodation arranged.
  7. Availability of clothing.
  8. Baby food, nappies and toys.
  9. Pet food available.
  10. Use of camera - photographs of scene for insurance claims.
  11. Provision of Fire Emergency Support Service Vehicle information pack to help them start to rebuild their lives.
  12. Independent Insurance assistance offered.

 

The service operates:
Weekdays       -           24-hour service
Weekends       -           24-hour service
Bank Holidays -           18:00 hrs on the day before the bank holiday and 07:00 hrs on the day following the bank holiday.

For the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009 the vehicle was called out on 81 occasions, compared to 63 occasions in 2008, 277 people and animals were given assistance.  The statistics published below detail the assistance given during 2009 with comparisons for 2008 and 2007 and are proof of the success of the scheme within West Yorkshire. 

 

 

2009

  

2008

 
2007

 

Adults
179

Adults
130

Adults
186

Children/Babies
84

Children/Babies
60

Children/Babies
71

Animals
14

Animals
10

Animals
23

Total
277

Total
200

Total
280

Given below is a breakdown of the requests for the FESS to attend at incidents during the last three years:

Fire Station

2009

  

Fire Station

2008

 

Fire Station

2007
Stanningley
9
   Stanningley
7
   Gipton
6
Idle
8
   Keighley
6
   Wakefield
5
Hunslet
6
   Moortown
5
   Huddersfield
4
Gipton
5
   Fairweather Green
4
   Odsal
4
Moortown
4
   Gipton
4
   Halifax
3
Castleford
3
   Huddersfield
4
   Hunslet
3
Cookridge
3
   Bradford
3
   Moortown
3
Leeds
3
   Cleckheaton
3
   Shipley
3
Odsal
3
   Cookridge
3
   Skipton
3
Rothwell
3
   Hunslet
3
   Batley
2
Keighley
2
   Leeds
3
   Cleckheaton
2
Fairweather Green
2
   Idle
2
   Fairweather Green
2
Huddersfield
2
   Odsal
2
   Idle
2
Bradford
2
   Ossett
2
   Morley
2
Bingley
2
   Bingley
1
   South Elmsall
2
Shipley
2
   Brighouse
1
   Bingley
1
Normanton
2
   Castleford
1
   Bradford
1
Halifax
2
   Garforth
1
   Brighouse
1
Slaithwaite
2
   Illingworth
1
   Cookridge
1
Cleckheaton
1
   Knottingley
1
   Dewsbury
1
Brighouse
1
   Pontefract
1
   Keighley
1
Illingworth
1
   Rawdon
1
   Knottingley
1
Rawdon
1
   Shipley
1
   Normanton
1
Stanks
1
   South Elmsall
1
   Ossett
1
Mirfield
1
   Stanks
1
   Silsden
1
Wakefiled
1
   Wetherby
1
   Slaithwaite
1
Elland
1
    
  Stanningley
1
Holmfirth
1
         Todmorden
1
Dewsbury
1
            
Morley
1
            
Hemsworth
1
            
Otley
1
            
Todmorden
1
            
Batley
1
            
MACC
1
            

Total
81
  

Total
63
  

Total
59