Case studies
Diversity - it's how we do business
On this page you can find out about some of the projects Kent
Fire and Rescue Service have either created or been involved with
to help make people from all over Kent safer, no matter what their
circumstances may be.
Homesafe scheme to reach the vulnerable
HomeSafe Medway, an initiative which aims to help vulnerable
people feel safer in their own homes, has been launched. The
scheme, run by the charity in touch, carries out security work and
small repairs, and fits minor equipment and adaptations for
disabled, older and vulnerable or at risk people. These include
recent victims of crime, as well as those suffering from domestic
violence.
It has been set up through a partnership with Kent Fire and
Rescue Service, the Occupational Therapy Service, Kent Police and
the Medway Community Safety Partnership, who helped fund a van and
employ a technician to carry out the work.
Head of Partnership and
Collaboration Stuart Skilton said: “This scheme represents a
valuable opportunity to provide smoke alarms to homes of the most
vulnerable and hard to reach people in our communities.”
Breaking down language barriers
A new interpreting service is helping firefighters to tackle
potential language problems when working in the community.
All our fire engines now carry a special language identification
card which allows limited-English speakers to identify their
language and, through a freephone telephone number, crews are able
to use the Telephone Interpreting Service to communicate
efficiently.
The service can interpret in over 170 languages and is open to
all service staff who need to have phone or face-to-face contact
with members of the community who have trouble communicating. It
can be accessed via a home owner’s telephone line, without any cost
to the householder, and can be used if no other help – like an
English speaking relative or neighbour – is available to help.
Community group has fun at fire station
A group with learning disabilities has visited their local fire
station in Tunbridge Wells to give them better understanding of the
services Kent Fire and Rescue Service provides.
Staff and group members from Pepenbury Community – a residential
and day-care service for adults with leaning disabilities – spent
the afternoon with Blue Watch, taking a tour of the fire station
and equipment. During the visit the group also learnt about the
importance of smoke alarms and cooking safely.
Watch Manager John Wheeler, who arranged the visit, said: “The
feedback from staff and the group was really positive. We all had a
lot of fun and more importantly we engaged with the group. Visits
of this nature prove a very effective method of spreading fire
safety advice and also providing an understanding of what we do as
a service. It is vital that we interact with all sections of the
community, especially those who have learning difficulties as they
can be at a higher risk.”
Firefighters learn a new language
Kent firefighters have been trained in sign language so that
they can communicate safety messages to the deaf community.
Specific projects include a programme with young children from
Margate’s Royal School for the Deaf.
Margate Station Manager Mick Smith said: “The children really
enjoy the interaction with the firefighters who they can now
communicate with effectively. The benefit is two-fold – they get to
learn a great deal about our jobs and we are able to provide them
with safety information. By tailoring our approach to community
safety in this way we are able to offer practical help and advice
to a section of the community that can be hard to reach”.
Partnership reaps rewards
An unique initiative developed by Faversham firefighters so that
they can engage with teenagers with additional learning needs,
triumphed at the first national Fire and Rescue Service Equality
and Diversity Awards.
Thought up and developed by Crew Manager Gary McRobb, with
students from Meadowfield School, Sittingbourne, the programme has
a range of activities, including exercises to raise understanding
of the fire service and safety issues, as well as helping pupils’
personal development through confidence building sessions and
debate.
The partnership between Meadowfield School and Faversham Fire
Station beat 40 other applicants to win the CLG sponsored
Partnership Working Team Award.
Gary said: “A tremendous amount of hard work went into the
design and delivery of the scheme so that we met every pupil’s
needs. We already run courses for those in mainstream education and
by setting up this programme with Meadowfield we are able to offer
practical help and advice to a section of the community that can be
hard to reach. Also, by building the young people’s personal skills
and confidence we have opened doors into areas where we may
increase our recruitment.”
A new computer tool for dyslexics
Kent Fire and Rescue Service has invested in a new computer tool
designed to help staff with reading and writing difficulties. Read
and Write Gold is a new piece of software that can read text aloud
and help construct words and sentences. It also has several other
features, such as advanced spell checking, document scanning and
Internet tools. It operates within any Windows application, making
it ideal for staff using word processors, databases, spreadsheets,
e-mail or the internet.
Deputy Chief Executive Ann Millington said: “There are a number
of staff who have dyslexia within the organisation. They can be
hindered in their jobs and ability to get equal access to learning
and career opportunities. So we set up a group to test a variety of
different software packages that provide people with dyslexia with
tools that they can use to perform to their fullest abilities.
“Because of its powerful features, Read and Write Gold was
chosen. We expect that this package will provide the best literacy
support, and hope it will motivate and support those individuals by
giving them independence and results.”
Fire safety team crosses cultural divide
In an effort to reach Eastern European groups, Community Safety
Team Leader Mick Smith has forged an invaluable partnership between
Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the Appledore Unit in Cranbrook –
a Government funded centre, taking in 16 to 18-year-old boys as
they make their first stop in England. The teenagers are housed at
the centre before being found accommodation, anywhere in the
country, and they’re required to attend several social skills
building classes to help them integrate and live within the
community.
Mick approached the unit and asked if the service could help by
offering fire safety classes to the centre, after learning about
similar programmes run by other emergency service agencies. He
developed a course that teaches participants how to report a fire,
and tells them about support facilities that are available if they
feel that they cannot communicate effectively with control
operators or firefighters, such as the national interpreting
service. It also gives basic fire safety advice, such as the
importance of smoke alarms and smoke alarm ownership.
New 999 text service for the deaf and speech impaired
Kent Fire and Rescue Service has teamed up with Kent Police and
South East Coast Ambulance Service to launch a new emergency SMS
service. The service enables deaf or speech impaired people to
contact the police, fire and rescue or Ambulance services in Kent
and Medway via a 999 text.
Callers are requested to prefix their message to identify which
service they require, for example ‘Rescue’ for the fire service.
They then describe what the problem is and where it is, and the
message is then sent to 60066. Messages prefixed Rescue go direct
to the Fire Control Centre as an e-mail. Control room
operators are able to respond to the message, confirming receipt
and action taken, or asking further questions.
Assistant Director Community Safety, Steve Griffiths, said: ‘We
are delighted to be teaming up with our emergency services
colleagues to launch this new service. It is really important to us
that deaf people are able to contact us quickly and easily if they
need our help – and this new service is a great solution."
Engaging with Eastern European groups in North Kent to improve
safety
A new partnership initiative has commenced
with the Racial Equality Cohesion Council and KFRS to reach
emerging new communities from Eastern European Groups in North
Kent. Young advocates who are living within the Gravesham
area are promoting KFRS' free home fire safety visit service within
their own communities. Using their specific language skills
and links into these harder to reach communities, these young
advocates are helping KFRS to raise awareness of the safety service
in an effort to help reduce accidental fires in the home.
Partnerships with the voluntary sector
KFRS recognises the importance of the voluntary sector for the
work they do with various vulnerable groups. Our relationship with
voluntary organisations is very good although the work we do to
support vulnerable people through community safety often does not
form part of the Compact in a local area. This is something we are
developing, for example in Dover, our Partnership Manager has been
working closely with the local Compact to share knowledge and
develop new ideas. Plans are now under way to link local community
safety teams with appropriate local voluntary groups who will refer
vulnerable people who are in need of the support and advice we
offer. The work in Dover led to KFRS being highly commended for a
Compact Innovation Award.