Public heed safety warnings, says KFRS
16 July 2010
Figures from a new report from Kent Fire and
Rescue Service (KFRS) show that local people in Kent are taking
heed of safety messages and that call outs to deliberate fires and
road traffic collisions is falling. They show that:
- Thanks to a targeted and sustained program of community safety
activity with partners, KFRS has seen a substantial reduction in
the number of road traffic collisions it attends. They have dropped
from 1023 in 2008/09 to 896 last year – a 12.4% fall.
- The number of deliberate fires has also fallen from 3647 in
2008/09 to 3074 in 2009/10, a 16% decrease.
Details of KFRS work over the last year can be found in its
annual Service Performance Plan 2010/2011. It provides an overview
of the Service, sets out how it performed last year and details
proposals for the next 10 years.
Bryan Cope, Chairman of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue
Authority, said: "This has been a successful year for us in many
ways. However, there is no room for complacency and we know we have
much more work to do to make Kent and Medway a safer place. The
risks in the community are changing – there are more elderly people
living alone, more extreme weather events predicted and new types
of building construction. All of these factors present new
challenges and we have ambitious plans in place to reduce risks and
provide a better service."
KFRS Chief Fire Officer Charlie Hendry said: "I continue to take
great pride in this organisation and the commitment of those who
work within it. The safety of the people living and working in Kent
and Medway remains our top priority and will continue to be at the
heart of everything we do."
ENDS