The South Wales Arson Reduction Team is based at Ely Community Fire and Rescue Station and is made up of Fire Service and Police personnel. The team has entered its fourth year of operation and has received additional funding by the Welsh Assembly Government until April 2011.

The Ely area has seen tangible results in the reduction of car fires and anti-social behaviour and the team now hope to achieve similar results across the rest of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service area.

The primary aim of the team is to reduce incidents of arson related behaviour across South Wales. 

How can we help you?

	Vehicle Fires In response to the high number of vehicle fires at Plymouth Woods, the Arson Reduction Team and partner agencies intervened and blocked access points to the woods.  This prevented vehicles being able to enter the area and consequently lowered the number of deliberate vehicle fires in the area.
	The Elvis Scheme Elvis stands for Easy Link Vehicle Information System and is a computer database which logs all abandoned car alerts. The Elvis system is helping to clear the streets of burnt-out cars and is being run in partnership with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, South Wales Police, Cardiff Council and the recovery firm Bayliss.
	Gas Cylinders The Arson Reduction Team arranges amnesty events for safe disposal of used gas cylinders.  During site visits the Arson Reduction Team will seize gas cylinders that they consider to be an "arson risk", and arrange for the safe collection and disposal of these cylinders.  [more information]
	Vacant Buildings The Arson Reduction Team is advised of vacant properties that are being accessed illegally.  This is done via: partner agencies, attending group meetings and by members of the public/community. They then liaise with the relevant council departments to get the premises secured to prevent them being targeted for arson.
	Schools Using funding from the Welsh Assembly Government, the Arson Reduction Team along with local education authorities, identify schools considered to be most at risk of anti-social behaviour and incidents of arson. They carry out crime prevention surveys on these schools, as qualified crime prevention officers, and assess which schools would benefit most from preventative measures being introduced.
	Young People - Summer Learning Festival (Ages 11-15) As part of the Summer Learning Festival, organised by Cardiff Council, the Arson Reduction Team delivers an ‘Introduction to the Fire and Rescue Service’. The course includes: experiencing a real fire in a building and understanding how smoke travels, learning about breathing apparatus and fire fighting techniques, drills such as hose running and removal techniques from road traffic collisions. This offers an opportunity for young people to learn about arson and how it can affect them and their community.

Initiatives - The Arson Reduction Team:

• attend community and neighbourhood management meetings to share/receive information with partner organisations regarding potential arson risks
• carry out daily analysis of fire statistics to identify patterns and trends emerging across the area
• attend events and provide fire safety and arson reduction advice
• engage with hard to reach groups through links with the Jasmine centre, being a community fire station and by community groups using the station's meeting room
• support a number of youth diversionary projects run across the area
• participate in multi-agency action days

Arson Awareness Courses

The Arson Reduction Team has recently planned and delivered, along with youth offending teams, a number of arson awareness days at Ely Fire Station.

The day aims to raise awareness of the effects and consequences of arson.

The sessions consist of a tour of Ely Fire Station, arson related video workshops, consequences and actions workshop, a quiz and a burns and effects presentation.

Representatives from Cross Keys college attend to apply special effects make-up to show burns.