ABOUT US

Contacting us in an emergency

Call 999 in an emergency NEVER call your local fire station as they may take too long to answer Image courtesy of freeimages co uk Call 999 in an emergency. NEVER call your local fire station as they may take too long to answer. Image courtesy of freeimages.co.uk.

If you are inside a property on fire, you must immediately get out and stay out if it is safe to do so. Never try to put a fire out unless you have received sufficient training - remember 'Fire Kills'.

Dial 999
Once you’ve escaped, use a mobile, a neighbour’s phone or a phone box to dial 999 and ask for the fire service. Never call your local fire station; they will take longer to answer.

On connection to the Fire Service, speak slowly and clearly stating the following information:

  • Name or number of the property which is involved or near to the emergency
  • Name of the street or road and district or town
  • Nearest main road or local landmark to the emergency
  • Nature of the emergency

If it’s unsafe for you to leave a property that‘s on fire, you must listen carefully to the fire service operator, who will remain on the line and give you survival advice until the fire crews arrive.

What happens next?
The information you have given will be entered into a computerised mobilising system and the nearest most appropriate fire engines will be sent to the emergency.

On arrival at the address the fire crews will deal with the emergency. Fire Control manage any requests for assistance, whether it be for further fire engines, officers or other services such as the Police, Ambulance, local authority or Environment Agency etc.

How we use information about fires
Information relating to your call and the emergency we have attended will be entered onto a computerised management information system which allows us to measure our performance and identify incident trends.

All information is treated with the strictest confidence and is maintained in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

How can you be safer in the future?
Make sure that you have a working smoke detector and a Fire Escape Plan which all the family knows and understands, so that if a fire occurred they would know what action to take. Reduce the risk of a fire occurring by contacting your local fire station for a Home Fire Risk Assessment. The crews will call to see you, give you advice and fit a smoke detector if you haven’t already got one.