Category Archives: Latest News

Commissioned by Government to review efficiencies and operations in Fire and Rescue Services in England, a report by the outgoing Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser, Sir Ken Knight, has today been published.  The report proposes that further efficiencies may be gained from revised procurement, flexible staffing and crewing arrangements, along with mergers of Fire and Rescue Services and functions.  The report appears just the day after Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service had announced outstanding performance results, which saw a 57% fall in the number of fire casualties, a 29% reduction in the number of accidental … Continue reading →

In its annual review of progress the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service announces another successful year in driving down the numbers of fires and fire deaths and injuries, to the lowest levels ever recorded. With nearly a third (29%) less accidental fires in people’s homes, 60% less arson fires and over half (57%) the number of people being killed or injured in fires than five years ago, the figures for 2012-2013 yet again confirm the effectiveness of the Service’s fire prevention and anti-arson measures and the ability of firefighters to save lives and property on … Continue reading →

Fire crews from Fleetwood attended a fire in a bathroom at 9:32am this morning on Elsinore Close. The resident of the property was a 73 year old woman who had just had a shower and was in the process of turning it off when the fire started. Miss Leach, the resident, said: “I had finished my shower and was turning it off when I heard an explosion that sounded like a firework going off. I then saw flames coming out of the unit and going up to the ceiling. I had to use my grab … Continue reading →

Volunteers from emergency services across the North West are organising a charity motorbike ride from Chorley to Penrith to raise money for four charities including The Fire Fighters Charity and The North West Air Ambulance. On Saturday 22nd June 2013, riders will meet at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s Training Centre in Chorley and travel in groups through the beautiful Pennine Valley and Lake District and after a couple of stops the bikers will arrive at The Fire Fighters Charity’s Jubilee House. At the finishing line, there will be live music played throughout the night and a … Continue reading →

Lancashire firefighters are backing National Road Safety Week with a range of activities throughout the county to drive home vital road safety messages, with an emphasis on the impact of bad driving on children and young people as pedestrians, cyclists and, eventually, motorists or motorcyclists themselves. During the week, events based on the hard-hitting road safety campaign, Wasted Lives (http://www.wastedlives.co.uk.) will include road traffic collision rescue demonstrations and presentations at school and college campuses throughout the County. Key Facts: Young male drivers account for 11% of the driving population, and yet…  … they are responsible … Continue reading →

All of Lancashire’s sixty fire engines now carry a defibrillator and their crews have been trained to use the life-saving machine to best effect. Defibrillators administer an electric shock in cases of cardiac arrest (when the heart stops beating) to get it going again. Cardiac arrest is a major killer and when it happens defibrillation needs to be prompt. For every minute that passes without defibrillation the chances of survival decrease by 14 per cent. Research shows that applying a controlled shock within five minutes of collapse provides the best possible chances of survival. That’s … Continue reading →

With the warmer weather now settling in across the county, it’s understandable that people will take advantage of the good weather by getting outdoors and enjoy cooking in the open air. In Lancashire, over the last few years, there have been a handful of fires caused by barbecues, which have resulted in members of the public getting burnt. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service have, therefore, recommended the subsequent safety precautions to follow when having a barbecue: General Safety Make sure your barbecue is in good working order. Ensure the barbecue is on a flat site, … Continue reading →

Station Manager Gary West of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service expresses concern over the number of fire casualties and sadly two deaths which may have been fire-related that have occurred in the Blackpool area in just one month.  This includes two elderly people injured as recently as this weekend, both taken to hospital with burns following avoidable accidents involving fire. Gary says, “Since April 1st this year there have been eight house fires which have resulted in people either being rescued, or having been killed. This is not regional, or across Lancashire, but just within … Continue reading →

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has been called out to a chemical spillage on the A59 at Samlesbury this afternoon. The Service received the first call at 13:47 after the driver of a lorry found out that a container was a leaking a chemical just outside B.A.E’s main gate. Six fire engines and specialist vehicles are in attendence at the scene and they identified the substance as Glutaraldehyde which is described as corrisively toxic. The A59 was shut in both directions. Firefighters wearing chemical protection suits sealed the container on the articulated lorry and then managed to … Continue reading →

Like many firefighters around the county, Watch Manager and Community Fire Safety Team Leader Wes Truran is a witness to the needless use of firefighting resources to put out ‘nuisance’ grass fires started deliberately throughout the Easter holidays. A combination of fine weather and children and youths with time on their hands has seen the number of such fires top 180 in a twelve-day period compared to just 26 last year, when the weather was wet and windy. Talking to BBC TV’s Northwest Tonight and BBC Radio Lancashire’s Drive Time, Wes said, Anyone who deliberately starts a fire … Continue reading →