Latest news with #fireService
The Sun
16 hours ago
- The Sun
Two children rushed to hospital after tree falls in ‘serious incident' at Southend park
TWO children have been rushed to hospital with serious injuries after a tree fell in a popular park. Essex Police scrambled to the scene just before 3pm and asked the public to avoid the area. The kids were hurt while in Chalkwell Park in Southend -on-Sea. An eyewitness said a "massive branch" fell off a tree near the rose garden. Cops said in a statement on Facebook: "We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Chalkwell Park. "Officers, alongside ambulance and fire service colleagues, are responding. "We were alerted shortly before 3pm to reports of a tree falling in the park. "There have been a number of casualties and our work at the scene is ongoing. "We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues."
The Independent
16 hours ago
- The Independent
Two children seriously injured after tree falls in public park
Two children are thought to have been seriously injured after a tree fell in a public park. Officers were called to reports of a tree falling in Chalkwell Park in Southend, at around 3pm on Saturday, Essex Police said. 'We remain on the scene of a serious incident at Chalkwell Park. Officers, alongside ambulance and fire service colleagues, are responding,' the force said. 'There have been a number of casualties and our work at the scene is ongoing. 'We would please ask the public to avoid this area where possible while this work continues.' Police said that at least two people were seriously injured in the incident, with the BBC reporting two children were among the casualties. It is believed that ambulance and air ambulance services are at the scene of the incident.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Dorset fire service gets new vehicle to tackle heath fires
A fire service has invested nearly half a million pounds in a new off-road multi-functional vehicle to help tackle heath and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) already has an Unimog, based at Wareham Fire Station, which is now 16 years old.A project to replace it started about three years ago and the new one arrived in April. The service said that after "extensive testing and driver training", it was now operationally available and had already been used at three wildfires over the weekend. The Unimog has a capacity of 4,500 litres of water and 162 litres of also has front, rear and roof-mounted monitors that can direct large quantities of water or foam at a said the off-road capability of the new machine had been "significantly enhanced".It now features upgraded tyres, the addition of a low-ratio gear box and the ability to set the tyre pressures to the type of terrain. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Darren Langdown said the Unimog was able to respond to flooding and thatch fires, as well as large fires in the open."We have seen a significant increase in the number of wildfires across our service area over the past five years, and the Unimog has been an invaluable asset to tackling these," he added the new features would also "enhance our firefighting capabilities" in heaths and other hard-to-reach rural said the new Unimog would be on show on Thursday at Wareham Fire Station. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Chemicals cleared from scene of fatal house fire in Sandhurst
Containers of potentially flammable and hazardous materials have been cleared from a semi-detached house where a man died following a fire. The man, in his 80s, died in hospital after flames engulfed the home on Oak Avenue in Sandhurst, Berkshire, on 6 blaze started shortly before 14:00 BST and was described by the fire service as a "flash fire".Police and specialist teams have been working at the house since to remove chemicals stored in containers that were found along with a decommissioned mortar. Thames Valley Police said teams wore specialist, protective clothing to remove the material "in case of any spillage of chemicals" before it was safely disposed of. The force said: "Although no immediate risk to health was identified, it was vital that we took all precaution to protect residents and those who were working to remove the material."I would like to thank the residents for their patience and understanding while we carried out this work."Our thoughts remain with the family of the man." The decommissioned mortar found was safely destroyed by specialist man's death is being investigated as unexplained but there is no ongoing criminal investigation and the coroner had been informed, Thames Valley Police said.A fire investigation is under way to determine the cause of the fire. You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Scottish fire service cuts could cost lives, says union
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is claiming that wide-ranging changes to the fire service in Scotland could cost lives, despite assurances from senior officers that public safety will not be Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is proposing the closure of up to 13 stations, new arrangements for night and weekend cover at others and the permanent withdrawal of 10 appliances stations in Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Musselburgh could be shut down or 23 options, being published on Wednesday, involve more than 30 fire stations in 14 local authority areas, and the service has warned that more change is likely in years to come. The FBU says the service is "already on its knees" after a decade of what it calls real-terms SFRS chief officer Stuart Stevens said: "I absolutely recognise the concerns that people will have because these are significant changes that we're proposing, but let me be clear - any changes we will make will only be done if it ensures the safety of the community of Scotland."This is a really important step for the organisation to make sure that the service is fit for Scotland's future."The service says final decisions will be based on a statistical study of operational risk and fires have fallen to an all-time low and over the last two decades, deaths caused by fire have fallen from 89 to 42. The casualty rate has also dropped from 1,951 to contrast, firefighters are dealing with more floods, wildfires and also means some stations are in locations where they are no longer options include plans to repair or rebuild some stations, and to transfer staff and appliances to other part-time stations which have not been fully operational for years could also close for good. How should the fire service operate? Chief officer Stevens says the SFRS has an £800m backlog for repairs in its buildings, fleet and Scottish government has increased the SFRS capital budget to £47m but he says £60m a year is needed to resolve issues with the fleet and argues that the service has to reduce running costs and review the way it operates, placing a greater emphasis on prevention."This organisation requires substantial, sustainable change in order for us to continue to deliver for the people of Scotland and prepare Scotland for the future challenges that it faces," he said. The proposals involve the permanent removal of 10 appliances which were temporarily withdrawn two years ago, resulting in a reduction of 166 firefighter Fire Brigade Union says that is in addition to the loss of 1,200 firefighters' jobs since the single national service was created in says it also "resoundingly rejects" proposals to change shift patterns at some would involve some appliances having full-time crews from Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 18:00, and-on call crews outside those Scottish secretary John McKenzie said: "Our members and the Scottish public have suffered more than enough cuts to the fire service."For over a decade real-terms budget cuts have increased risks to public safety, with firefighter numbers slashed and response times increasing as a result."The service is already on its knees because of these cuts. That has led to increases in response times and when this time is lost, tragically lives will also be lost."The FBU does support some of the changes put forward in the review, but says the service needs more investment to take account of "new and emerging threats."Chief officer Stevens said the temporary removal of the 10 appliances in 2023 had had "no detrimental effect on community outcomes."On response times, he urged caution over how they should be interpreted and said the service had invested £30m on a new command and control system."The point at which a fire starts and the point in which it's discovered is the most important part in determining the outcome of a fire," he argued."That's why we believe that investment in prevention is the key to this." How will remote communities be affected? There is not a community in Scotland that will welcome changes to its fire cover, and the closure or downgrading of stations in places such as Balmossie in Dundee will be opposed by local people and Fetlar, one of the North Isles of Shetland, the fire station hasn't been in use for years because of a lack of local volunteers who are willing or physically able to meet the service's fitness requirements for on-call Bellis, secretary of Fetlar Community Association, says a third of the island's population of 56 is over the age of 65 and only two are their says the Scottish Ambulance Service allows four local people to act as first responders, using an ambulance on the island and providing medical assistance."We'd like something similar for the fire service," she said."We appreciate fire is very different, you could be dealing with very dangerous situations, but it would be helpful if the fire service could come up with some sort of similar model for remote island communities."Under the review, Fetlar is designated as a "long-term dormant" station, unused for up to 10 years or more, along with seven others in Crianlarich, Nethy Bridge, Ratagan, the Isle of Muck, Colintraive, Corriecravie on Arran and the Isle of are proposed for closure under the options which will now go out for public consultation for 12 weeks.
