Theme: Our Communities

 Objective: To reduce deaths and injuries from fires and road traffic collisions  

• We implemented and supported the Welsh Language Policy and Equality and Diversity Initiatives. A significant number of people from the minority ethnic business all our diverse communities attended specially organised events, raising their awareness of the requirements of the Fire Safety Order.  This will have the effect of further reducing risks from fire in the all our diverse communities.
• We promoted home fire safety at Mardi Gras to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual communities and the wider public.
• We fitted smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing.
• We achieved a Service target of 98% Retained Duty System availability.  This improvement has resulted in speedier action at incidents decreasing the likelihood of injury to people and damage to buildings, vehicles or the environment.
• Station administration areas have been re-aligned at some locations. This has enabled more accurate recording of incident and community safety data, allowing each station to analyse their performance and prioritise future activity based on community risk. This will result in a more effective and efficient service to each community.
• We carried out Equality Impact assessments on Station administrative areas.  As an example this has resulted in greater community use of facilities at Barry Fire Station with the Recreation Room now being used as a Community Room by the Police and Local Groups.
• We have worked with people with hearing impairments and this has led to an increase in the fitting of specific smoke alarms.
• We have hosted events for ethnic minority business people to increase awareness of commercial fire safety requirements.
• Having identified trends in certain premises where compliance with the Fire Safety Order (FSO) required significant improvement we have employed a Chinese outreach worker to help SWFRS engage with this particular community.
• The nationally acclaimed ‘Bernie’ project proved very successful in dealing with grass arson by delivering a range of activities for young people and also increasing the level of education of the consequences of grass arson and increasing fire patrols in possible areas affected.
• Various community events were held in the development of the Single Equality Plan where childcare facilities were provided so that people with young children could contribute.