Fire Stations across the country joined in the event in March 2013, and Cheadle's crews raised one of the highest totals in the UK.

Scrubbing and hosing down hundreds of cars and vans on Saturday, March 30, Cheadle's record breaking fire crews raised a total of £1647.65 - the largest percentage increase in the UK, up a whopping 845 per cent on their total from their car wash in 2012.

Not only that, the Blue Watch crews at Cheadle raised the second highest total in the country behind only Didcot Fire Station in Oxfordshire.

Watch Manager Jagjit Dhaliwal said: "We'd like to thank everyone in the local community who brought their cars to the station to be washed in March - we couldn't have raised so much for the Fire Fighters Charity without them.

"Blue Watch were helped on the day by off duty crews, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) volunteers and community safety staff as well as volunteers from the Bramhall branch of Barclays, who put some elbow grease in to wash cars and donated £750.

"As a community fire station it's great that we can depend on local people to bring their cars for a wash at the station for charity when it counts. We'll be holding another car wash in September and I hope they can help us up the total further still."

The Fire Fighters Charity compiled the results and collectively Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service faired very well, with crews from Eccles Fire Station coming third in the country, raising £1441.67.

The next Fire Fighters National Charity car washes are due to take place at fire stations across Greater Manchester on Saturday, September 14.

Find out more about the charity here http://www.firefighterscharity.org.uk/home

The Trafford Youth Offending Team took a group of six youngsters to the fire station on Park Road where they spent the day with journalists, broadcasters and the Key103 Media Bus. 

Through a range of art and creative activities, the youngsters learned about photography, how to set up an online CV, how to be a radio presenter and microphone skills for being in a professional studio, as well as learning vital fire and personal safety skills.

The youngsters were given a tour of the fire station by Watch Manager Mike O'Neill and shown a road traffic collision demonstration by Green Watch crews, and they were supported throughout the day by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) community safety team members Adam Tormey and Kate Akkermans.

Community Safety Advisor Kate said: "The day was a huge success and the young people gained a lot from it.

"There was one young person in particular who showed a keen interest in our Prince's Trust scheme so we arranged for the Charity to give them some further information about the course, which was a really positive outcome."

The GMFRS' Prince's Trust scheme is a 12-week course aimed at unemployed young people aged between 16 and 25.

The programme, which GMFRS has been delivering for the last 10 years, runs three times a year and gives young people the chance to build confidence and motivation while working towards qualifications and taking part in exciting community projects and team building activities.

Stretford's event was part of Key2Radio - an innovative scheme that gives young offenders the opportunity to develop their arts, broadcast and social skills, and to gain a national qualification.

The project, funded through the Arts Council, is delivered by a partnership between the radio station and the arts charity TiPP, which specialises in arts provision in the Criminal Justice System and similar settings.

At the end of each project the participants receive an official qualification through the Arts Award scheme and they mark their success with a celebratory event with family and friends.

Since the pilot project ran in early 2012, the programme has been rolled out in Youth Offending Services in Salford, Bolton and Manchester, and 15 young people have received an Arts Award certificate - a nationally-recognised qualification in arts and personal development.

Stretford Station Manager Gethin Curzon said: "The projects are timed to run in the school holidays to fit in with the young people and the activities take place at the radio station itself and various locations over the week - such as fire stations and museums.

"It's a great project to be involved in because the young people can engage with fire crews in a positive environment and learn about fire safety and the importance of keeping safe amongst other things."

To find out more about GMFRS' Prince's Trust programme, please visit /community_work/princes_trust.aspx

The children visited the station on Monday, June 17, as part of a visit to the North West of England organised by the Chernobyl Children's Lifeline charity.

Blue Watch gave the children a tour of the station and fire engines before showing them how to squirt water from hoses in the station yard.

Crew Manager Tony Callaghan said: "It was a privilege to show the children around and they really enjoyed hearing the sirens and learning about what we do.

"We showed them what it was like to search a smoke filled room by putting hoods on them to simulate what it's like for us as firefighters and they really seemed to enjoy it.

"It was really moving to see the smiles on the children's faces and the watch were really touched that simple things, like tucking into fresh fruit with us, seemed to make them happy."

The children, who are from the village of Remel in Belarus, arrived on Saturday, June 15, and are staying with local families on a three week visit to the North West.

Eleven-year-old Alina Vandich said: "The fire engine was very good fun and we liked playing with the water from the hose."

Standish builder Paul Wilson, a fundraiser and volunteer for the charity, said: "The children are living with the fall out of Chernobyl and where they live, everything is contaminated with radiation.

"Some of the children have limbs missing, some are deaf or partially sighted and many are orphaned or from poor families.  They come over here for some respite and they really benefit from the fresh air and their time here.

"They loved their time at the fire station - it's really rewarding to have children staying with us and other local families to see them so happy."

During their fun filled holiday the children will also visit Blackpool, local schools and local parks.

Station Manager Geoff Thornley said: "We've been hosting groups of children from areas affected by Chernobyl for many years now and it's great to show them what goes on at GMFRS here in Wigan.

"I know the children enjoyed it, but Blue Watch got a lot out of it too.

"The children won't have seen anything like it before and it was nice to show them everything we do including working at the heart of the community."

Green Watch crews paid a visit to the group on Tuesday, June 4, to help them with their project about fire safety.

Watch Manager Mick Callan said: "The members of the group all have varying learning disabilities and they asked us to visit after seeing the fire on Coronation Street.

"It was nice to be able to show them that as firefighters, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) crews are there to help them with fire safety and that they shouldn't be frightened of our uniform.

"We told them all about how to use the fire exits and the importance of a working smoke alarm, which means testing it once a week. They seemed to enjoy our visit and loved the fire engine."

The Just BU group was set up by the family of a man with Down's Syndrome and operates five days a week.

Justin Fellows from Just BU said: "It was fantastic that the crews came down in a fire engine because our members are encouraged to take responsibility for health and safety, including fire safety in our building.

"After the fire on Coronation Street we did a fire safety project because some people with learning difficulties haven't come across people wearing uniforms before.

"Seeing the fire engine and firefighters in a non-emergency situation made it much more real for them and they now know GMFRS are there to help.

"They practised our evacuation plan and we were reminded to test the smoke alarms once a week at the Just BU centre."

 For a free Home Safety Check, which may include the fitting of smoke alarms, please contact GMFRS on 0800 555 815 or visit /fire_safety_advice/home_fire_risk_assessments.aspx

For more information about escape plans go to /fire_safety_advice/fire_safety_campaigns/escape_plans.aspx

For more information on Just BU Community Interest Company go to https://www.facebook.com/JustBUcic

Watch Managers Dave Holden and Wayne Van Hecke took part in Bring Your Child to Work Day - a scheme run by Cannon Slade Secondary School in Bolton - which saw their children shadow them for the day.

Lydia Holden and Tom Van Hecke, both aged 14, visited Bolton Central Fire Station where they experienced an RTC (Road Traffic Collision) demonstration given by Green Watch as part of a road safety campaign.

The youngsters learned about what firefighters do when someone gets injured in an RTC and the dangers of not wearing a seat belt and driving at excessive speed.

In the afternoon, the Watch Managers took the teenagers to the Control Room at Fire Service Headquarters in Swinton where Control Operator Janet Finch explained the process of a 999 call and getting a fire engine to an incident.

They were able to hear an actual incident taking place and decipher some of the jargon from the messages sent and the skills that call handlers need to deal with these calls.

Watch Manager Holden said: "Bring Your Child to Work Day gives year nine pupils first-hand experience of a work environment and what their parents actually do at work, and it also helps relate the school curriculum to everyday tasks within a working environment.

"Lydia found the day awesome - her day started at 8.30am watching Green Watch do their parade and she couldn't believe we have procedures for everything, even for checking the equipment on fire engines and detailing rider positions.

"During the RTC demo she wasn't expecting so many tasks all being completed at the same time and was amazed at how quickly the roof came off the car. She also said the noise of the tools was scary when you're close up to them.

"The Control Room was somewhere she felt more comfortable and it was more the type of place she would like to work, although she was surprised at the size of the building and the amount of technology required to run the service.

"On the way home I asked if she wanted to be a firefighter but she shrugged her shoulders and said that she wasn't brave enough!"

Watch Manager Van Hecke, who works in Fire Protection, said: "I couldn't take Tom with me on my usual activities so he saw how the operational side works in the morning and was impressed by the way the watch handled the group of boys brought in to see the RTC demo and receive a talk on driving responsibly.

"He has seen a lot of stuff on fire stations in the past as he has grown up with me being in the job but he was extremely impressed when he visited the Control Room and didn't realise how much of an active role it plays operationally."

It didn't seem to change his mind about his future career though - as Tom told his dad at the end of the day that when he grows up he wants to get a Volkswagen van and go surfing and skiing!

If you live in Bury and you need to use a computer to create a CV, apply for jobs, write an essay or browse the web, you can now do it at your local fire station.

Members of the public will be able to use the facility at Bury Community Fire Station in Magdalene Road from today (Monday, June 17.)

The building - which opened in November 2012 - was designed with the community in mind and it's hoped that the internet café will be a useful hub for members of the public who otherwise wouldn't have access to a computer.

The station's community room is already home to a number of community groups who regularly meet.

People will be able to book to use the café between 10am and 2pm from Monday to Friday by filling in a registration form which can be found on the website by clicking here.

Anyone who is interested in using the café out of these hours, for school visits or community groups for example, can contact the admin team to discuss their needs.

For any other information on the internet café, please contact the admin team on 0161 909 8626/27 or email obr@manchesterfire.gov.uk

The event - which is being run in conjunction with Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust (WLCT) - runs from 11am until 3pm, featuring a range of activities at the park and at Leigh Fire Station across the road, including a climbing wall, mountain biking and bike maintenance workshops.

Crews from Heywood Fire Station will be at the park demonstrating the Water Incident Unit to show how GMFRS responds to water-related incidents, while firefighters at the station will carry out road traffic collision (RTC) exercises to show what crews do when they cut someone out of a car.

The GMFRS community event vehicle will be at the park with a range of educational materials such as leaflets and safety videos, which are designed to provide advice and tips for keeping safe over the summer months.

GMFRS' Community Safety Advisors, apprentices and volunteers will be on hand to give fire safety advice and promote Home Safety Checks, and demonstrations in the Kitchen Fire Safety Unit will be given every hour to highlight the dangers of using chip pans and how quickly a pan fire can spread.

The event is part of the Safe4Summer campaign - a joint initiative between GMFRS, Greater Manchester Police and the county's 10 local authorities aimed at keeping people of all ages safe from summer risks such as the dangers of water and grass fires, and addressing community concerns about youth-related crime and anti-social behaviour during those months.

GMFRS is being supported throughout Sunday's event by Beckie Ramsay, who is running her own personal water safety campaign 'Doing It For Dylan' following the tragic death of her 13-year-old son while swimming in open water on July 3, 2011.

Beckie, aged 33, who has recently become an official Community Action Team (CAT) volunteer with GMFRS, said: "I am really happy to be supporting this event as I believe that awareness and education is the key to preventing drowning and outside water incidents.

"On July 3, 2011, my life changed forever when I lost my precious 13-year-old son Dylan Ramsay whilst he was outside swimming. Although very fit, healthy and an excellent swimmer, the outside water still took Dylan's life.

"After Dylan died I knew I needed to help make changes. I believe that water safety should be on the national curriculum and I now visit schools with my campaign to speak about the many dangers of open water and share my pain in the hope that it may save others."

There will also be a first-aid workshop at the event, along with representatives from Wigan Wellness Centre, Leigh-Lowton Sailing Club, St Johns Ambulance, British Red Cross and the WLCT Active Life Team.

For further information on the event, please contact Leigh Fire Station on 01942 650127.

For summer safety advice, visit http://www.safe4summer.com/

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's (GMFRS) mascot Cracker the fire dog entertained children throughout the day on Saturday, June 15 while firefighters, Community Action Team volunteers and community safety staff were on hand to talk to the public and give advice on how to stay safe this summer.

Volunteers from Bolton Mountain Rescue Team (BMRT) - who often work with GMFRS during incidents - took along a selection of their vehicles for display, including a mountain rescue Land Rover ambulance, minibus and crew bus ambulance.

The Mayor of Horwich, Councillor Christine Root, also attended the event and spent some time chatting to the various organisations involved.

There was also face-painting, games and a bouncy castle and children were able to have a go at squirting water from the hoses.

Other organisations and vehicles on display included GMFRS' new community event vehicle, the Salvation Army catering unit and the British Red Cross Fire Emergency Support Service (FESS) - which offers emotional support and a warm place to stay for people affected by fire.

Firefighters were joined by BMRT volunteers for a road traffic collision (RTC) demonstration to show visitors how crews rescue someone who has been injured in a collision and is trapped inside a vehicle.

The two services also teamed up to carry out a rope rescue scenario out of the second floor of the drill tower.

Watch Manager Craig Lunt said: "Despite some light rain showers, the weather stayed warm and sunny for most of the day and we had lots of visitors from the local community.

"It was a great opportunity to give fire and personal safety advice to the local community - and anyone can find this advice on the Safe4Summer or GMFRS website." 

Visit http://www.safe4summer.com/  or / for safety advice. 

Watch Manager Russ Carr took White Watch along and the firefighters made a real impact on the little ones when the Key Stage 1 pupils spent the week learning about the blue light family.

Firefighter Kev Nugent had the infants enthralled when the class was shown the fire engine and equipment that crews use to deal with incidents.

Kev said: "They were all very inquisitive and bombarded me with questions throughout the 'what we do' demonstration.

"We even got biscuits and a big thank you cheer at the end - bonus!"

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) community safety staff and Green Watch from Salford Fire Station visited members of the travelling community on Tuesday, June 11, to encourage people to think about protecting their caravans and trailers from fire.

GMFRS Community Safety Advisor Sofina Duloth-Joy said: "We had a fantastic day on the site and the fire engine proved very popular with the children who enjoyed having a go with the hose squirting water.

"We chatted to the travellers and explained that we could help protect them from a fire at home and gave them advice about cooking, disposing of cigarettes safely and about the safe storage of gas cylinders.

 "We were able to carry out Home Safety Checks in a number of caravans and fitted smoke alarms. One lady was so proud of her new smoke alarm she agreed to be an advocate for GMFRS at the site."

Some members of the community already had smoke alarms in their caravans but batteries had been removed. Crews were able to explain that working smoke alarms save lives.

Firefighters also spent time with young members of the community and let them dress in fire gear.

Crew Manager Dave Chapman said: "I was chatting to one little lad, Johnny for a little while and he got really involved and told me that when he grew up he wanted to be a firefighter.

"It was really inspiring to hear him say that and I'm proud that we can help build relationships in that Salford community to help make them safer at home.

"I look forward to coming back and seeing how my new found friend is getting on!"

Chair of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Councillor David Acton said: "Working in the community like this is a huge part of the work firefighters carry out every day to help prevent fires and protect people across Greater Manchester.

"Working smoke alarms really are your first line of defence from fire but they'll only save your life if they're working.

"Having built relationships in Salford's travelling community it is great that firefighters will be able to go back and strengthen that relationship and remind the community to test their smoke alarms once a week."

For a free Home Safety Check, which may include the fitting of smoke alarms, please contact GMFRS on 0800 555 815 or visit /fire_safety_advice/home_fire_risk_assessments.aspx

The success is another example of how GMFRS is working with other organisations to protect and improve the lives of people in the county and using public money in smarter ways to improve the service.

Watch Manager Steve Egerton's years of experience meant he spotted the dangers to the mother and child immediately when he took a wrong turn while on his way to another job.

Steve said: "I took a wrong turn and straight away it looked dangerous. There was a big pile of rubbish in the open under the child's bedroom and a derelict workshop next door, which makes it an arson risk.

"On looking closer, the timbers of the floor in the child's bedroom were exposed to an open garage and, underneath, rubbish was piling up.

"I asked a crew to come out and do a Home Safety Check for the family and they fitted three smoke alarms, and I also went to Building Control and housing to get their support for the family.

"The risk has been vastly reduced because she's got smoke detectors in the house and the problems outside have been sorted out."

Steve works from Tameside Council's Building Control as a liaison officer to spot problems and, in particular, buildings that pose a risk of fire and works with the council, landowners and landlords to improve the problems.

As a result of him spotting this issue, Tameside Council's enforcement team secured the derelict workshop by putting some fencing around it and the piles of rubbish from under the toddler's bedroom have been removed.

Watch Manager Martin Cain's team, Ashton White Watch, also visited other homes in the street and nearby and, as a result, carried out Home Safety Checks for people who either needed advice or did not have working smoke alarms.

GMFRS's Tameside Borough Manager Jon Heydon said: "Empty buildings and how they're managed might not seem to be the most obvious area for the fire service to be involved with but it makes perfect sense.

"Security measures degrade, leaving them open to vandalism and they become very much a fire risk - in this case, making a young mother and her child vulnerable.

"In the event of a fire, firefighters from my team would have to go into a very dangerous situation to tackle any blaze so we want to minimise any risk from fire as far as possible.

"Through having someone based at the council, our firefighters are directly linked to people who can work together to prevent problems developing or becoming worse than they already are."

For a free Home Safety Check, which may include the fitting of smoke alarms, please contact GMFRS on 0800 555 815 or visit /fire_safety_advice/home_fire_risk_assessments.aspx 

Sajid Mahmood, aged 27, of Uxbridge Street, Ashton, was ordered to pay costs of £2,591 to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority (GMFRA) and a £15 victim surcharge when he appeared before Oldham Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, June 12.

At an earlier hearing, Mahmood - who owns Australian Wines in Ashton Road Oldham - pleaded guilty to six offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's (GMFRS) Director of Prevention and Protection services, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Peter O'Reilly, said: "Despite the obvious risks in this building, Mr Mahmood didn't take any steps to protect his tenants who were paying him rent.

"We work hard at GMFRS to prevent fires and protect people and I hope this prosecution sends a clear message that any landlord who flouts fire safety regulations risks getting a criminal record and a high fine."

Fire and council officers inspected the flat above the wine shop in November 2011 and discovered a catalogue of failings that placed the landlord's eight tenants at risk of serious injury or death in the event of a fire.

There was nothing in place to stop a fire in the shop spreading to the flats above and there was not even a proper fire alarm.

There was only one way out of the flats, which was not protected from smoke - so a fire occurring anywhere in the building could trap the tenants upstairs where the windows were barred. 

Mahmood appeared in court on May 9 when Paul Darnborough, prosecuting for GMFRA, said that the landlord had no idea what the fire risks were, did not get a fire risk assessment and placed the tenants "at risk of death or serious injury".

Samayra Ashraf, defending, told the court that her client had been naïve and had remedied the problems within two weeks.

Mahmood was cross-examined on the financial information he had provided and admitted he had no idea how much rental income he had received as it was all paid in cash but it could have been in the region of £10,000.

Fining him £2,000 for each offence, Chair of the Bench Ian Hargreaves told Mahmood: "These are very serious offences and had there been a fire there could have been fatalities and you would have faced far more serious charges."

Charges in full:

1. That Sajid Mahmood, on or before the 2nd November 2011, having control of 146/150 Ashton Road, Oldham OL8 1QT failed to safeguard the safety of relevant persons in case of fire by failing to take such general fire precautions to ensure the premises were safe to Article 8(1)(b) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, in particular measures to reduce the risk of spread of fire on the premises in accordance with Article 4(1)(a),which failure placed one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, contrary to Article 32(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
2. That Sajid Mahmood, on or before the 2nd November 2011, having control of 146/150 Ashton Road, Oldham OL8 1QT failed to safeguard the safety of relevant persons in case of fire by failing to failing to make a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment pursuant to Article 9(1) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which failure placed one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, contrary to Article 32(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 
3. That Sajid Mahmood, on or before the 2nd November 2011, having control of 146/150 Ashton Road, Oldham OL8 1QT failed to safeguard the safety of relevant persons in case of fire by failing to provide appropriate fire detectors and alarms pursuant to Article 13(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which failure placed one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, contrary to Article 32(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 
4. That Sajid Mahmood, on or before the 2nd November 2011, having control of 146/150 Ashton Road, Oldham OL8 1QT failed to safeguard the safety of relevant persons in case of fire by failing to ensure that escape routes were kept clear at all times, pursuant to Article 14 (1) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 namely by allowing furniture to be stored on the escape route, which failure placed one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, contrary to Article 32(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 
5. That Sajid Mahmood, on or before the 2nd November 2011, having control of 146/150 Ashton Road, Oldham OL8 1QT  , failed to safeguard the safety of relevant persons in case of fire by failing to provide a protected escape route to ensure occupants could evacuate as quickly and safely as possible,  pursuant  to Article 14(2)(b) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which failure placed one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, contrary to Article 32(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 
6. That Sajid Mahmood, on or before the 1^st March 2012, having control of 146/150 Ashton Road, Oldham OL8 1QT  failed to safeguard the safety of relevant persons in case of fire by failing to failing provide an adequate number and distribution of escape routes pursuant to Article 14(2)(c) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, by failing to provide an escape route from a bedroom which did not lead through the kitchen area, which failure placed one or more relevant persons at risk of death or serious injury in case of fire, contrary to Article 32(1)(a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.                                                                                               

Thirteen people aged between 14 and 16 have spent nearly the last year learning about fire safety and preparing to become Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) ambassadors in their community.

In their first event to start making friends, neighbours and other Brinnington residents safer, they attracted around 500 people to a fire safety day outside First House.

Laura Saidler, GMFRS' children and young people co-ordinator for Stockport, said: "It was an amazing day and they worked so hard, stepping up to the mark to put on a fantastic event.

"They delivered about 600 leaflets to get people there, created their own escape plan template for people and were even in charge of the budget to make sure the day happened.

"They really lived up to the responsibility of what this was all about."

Resident Jannine Duffy said: "It was an absolutely fantastic day and well organised. Well done fire safety ambassadors you have all been stars."

The event took place during the half term on Wednesday, May 29, and as well as having a serious side, there was fun for all the family - particularly as the GMFRS parade vehicle was there.

Fire safety ambassadors encouraged 145 people to draw up escape plans on the template they designed and, anyone who did so, got a key cut free of charge so they can put it in a secure but accessible place in case of a fire.

They chose the themes of the day in response to recent incidents that firefighters had dealt with in the area and this also led to them arranging for the kitchen fire display unit to be used at the event.

Crews have gone out to three incidents involving chip pans in the area since April 1 - whichalready equals the number involving chip pans the previous year* - and the unit demonstrates just how dangerous a chip pan fire can be.

The Brinnington Education Achievement Partnership (BEAP) fire safety ambassadors have been working with GMFRS since September and they organised this event as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and Fire and Rescue ASDAN course.

They have been learning about the organisation and fire safety to be able to represent GMFRS to help their community be safer as well as improve their own skills.

GMFRS has been working with Stockport Council, Safer Stockport Partnership and Stockport Homes as part of Brinnington Education Achievement Partnership (BEAP) to run the project and the young people have been giving up their own time to get involved.

The fire safety day was also supported by Greater Manchester Police and Stockport Without Abuse.

BEAP fire safety ambassadors group is made up of young people from three schools:
• Harrytown Catholic High School  - Cheyanne Dillon, Katie Townley, Adam Hopkins, Jess Hampshire, Nicole Jones
• Reddish Vale Technology College - Benji Wyatt, Jordan Wardle, Billy Hibbert, Callum Stone
• Werneth School  - Natalie Verity, Tracy Healey, Tom and Jamie Sale

*Figures for cooking fires in the Brinnington and Central ward are:

2012/13
All cooking related incidents: 25
Within those 25, two involved chip pans and one involved a chip pan that was being stored in an oven and had accidentally been turned on.

2013/14
To the end of May
All cooking related incidents: nine.
Of those nine, three have involved chip pans

Russ, who is Red Watch Manager at Atherton Fire Station, will be able to bask in retirement after a 30-year career with GMFRS - but he was just 15 months old when his family moved into a house on Fire Station Square when his father John was a firefighter in Salford in 1964.

Watch Manager Russ Condon said: "My dad was a firefighter for a couple of years before I was born - he joined in February 1962.

We moved into a fire service house next to the old Salford Fire Station when I was just a baby.

"It meant when I was growing up the fire station yard was my playground. I used to watch my dad and the crews on parade and doing ladder drills.

"They'd make a dam of water using ladders and me and my brother and sister thought it was our own personal swimming pool! I grew up wanting to be a firefighter from being tiny, it really it is all I ever wanted to do."

But for 50-year-old Russ, making it as a firefighter in the beginning wasn't easy. "When my dad was 18, he walked into Salford Fire Station and got given the job and two years later we were living there," said Russ.

"But when I turned 18, they knocked me back because my chest size wasn't big enough! The lads at Atherton will laugh because I'm not so small anymore!

"I ended up working at as a car body repairer for just over a year at Pendleton Motors and in the meantime my dad took me to a weights gym behind Hindley Fire Station to build me up."

It did the trick because on January 10, 1983, Russ joined GMFRS and served as a firefighter for three years alongside his dad, John, until he retired in October 1986.

Russ said: "Sadly we never attended a fire together - dad was working at GMFRS' driving school when I passed out as a new firefighter and joined Altrincham Fire Station.

On Sunday, June 30, Russ' time working for GMFRS will come to an end, which will draw to a close the association he's had with fire stations all his life.

His father, 69-year-old John said: "I was very proud when Russ followed in my footsteps so it's strange that after all these years he's retiring.

"We lived on Fire Station Square for more than 20 years so it's a long association with the fire service for Russ coming to an end, but he won't be bored I'm sure - I've kept busy in my retirement and I still like to keep fit - I'm sure Russ will be the same."

Russ added: "After 30 years of service it's time to go and I am ready for retirement but it's with a heavy heart too.

"I'm already putting my feet up, because I've ruptured my Achilles playing football so I'm sad to say I won't serve as a firefighter again before I retire.

"But I'll enjoy my retirement, I'm a steward at Manchester United and Leigh Rugby Club and I hope I can still volunteer to help out with Firefly - one of the young people's schemes at GMFRS.

"I'll miss it like mad, the people and the camaraderie, even now when I'm sat at home with my injury, I see a fire engine go by and realise that I'd normally be on it and it brings back years of happy memories."

Young people are invited down to the Borsdane Avenue station every Friday evening when Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's (GMFRS) caged soccer unit will be set up in the station yard from 7.30pm to 9pm.

The Friday football initiative is part of GMFRS' Safe4Summer campaign.

Station Manager Paul Sumner said: "Hindley is a true community fire station and is ideally placed for local teenagers and children from the Borsdane estate to join us for Friday night five-a-side at the station.

"Our firefighters are role models and are happy to join in and chat to the young people which will give them chance to talk about staying safe over the summer months.

"The idea is to encourage young people to focus on the importance of teamwork and reduce antisocial behaviour."

Safe4Summer is the joint campaign between Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Police and the 10 local authorities aimed at keeping people of all ages safe from summer risks such as the dangers of water and grass fires, and addressing community concerns about youth-related crime and anti-social behaviour during those months.

The Friday football initiative comes after £180,000 of Sport England funding was approved that will see fire stations in Wigan become Sport Zones in partnership with Wigan and Leigh Culture Trust.

Chair of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, Councillor David Acton said: "We want all young people to enjoy summer safely and initiatives like this one at Hindley Fire Station are all part of that.

"If our firefighters can act as role models and encourage people to keep safe, work as a team and keep fit then that is fantastic.

"Our fire stations are at the heart of communities so it is wonderful to see them being used by young people as part of Safe4Summer."

To find out more about Safe4Summer go to http://www.safe4summer.com/

The firefighters' raft was shaped as a fire engine and decorated with boat safety advice to ensure that everyone taking part knew just why they were there.

While the craft was excellent at getting safety advice across, it wasn't the quickest vessel and has sparked the crew's competitive streak to do better next year and be fastest raft on the lake after coming third in the final.

Firefighter Robert Gall expertly crafted the floating fire engine along with colleagues during lunch and breaks.

He said: "It wasn't just capable of keeping afloat all the seven whole time firefighters, it looked suitably impressive to the crowds of onlookers.

"We knew it was National Boat Safety Week, so we decided to brand our raft like a fire engine with some of the boat fire safety information stuck to it.

"We also managed to dig out our old firefighter helmets to add to the look of our floating fire engine.

"What started out as a bit of fun very soon became competitive as Marple Fire Station just about managed to scrape a place in the final coming in third in the heat.

"It was a fantastic day for all involved and a significant amount of money was raised for charity. Of course, next year we will have to re-design our raft a bit to try and challenge for first place!"

Twelve teams entered the original heat at the village raft race on a gloriously sunny Sunday at Etherow country Park in Compstall, near Marple, with a crowd of around 500 cheering on the competitors.

Along with a number of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) volunteers and a group of local fire engine enthusiasts who brought two of their own fire engines, there was a significant fire service presence.

Children were able to buy various goodies such as helmets and sit on the fire engines. All the races started to the sound of the fire engine sirens.

The race is an annual event and each year the organisers choose two charities to donate the proceeds to - The Fire Fighters Charity were chosen as one of the beneficiaries along The Christie hospital for 2013.

The final took place at 2pm and a slightly shorter course than the heats saw Marple Fire Station grab third place overall.

Chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, Councillor David Acton said: "We would encourage everyone who owns or uses a boat to follow some simple steps to keep themselves safe this summer.

"This includes installing fuel burning appliances properly and maintaining appliances and engines routinely, using the equipment correctly, installing a CO alarm and testing it regularly, and knowing the signs of CO poisoning."

People can also get safety advice on the go - with the top 10 tips to keep you safe from carbon monoxide available for smartphones, tablets and laptops at www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/carbon-monoxide-(co)

This year's Boat Fire Safety Week was supported by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the Royal Yachting Association and The Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

For further information about general boat fire and CO safety, visit http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe.

In their response, CFOA urge the UK government to take a much more supportive approach to the installation of sprinklers in new build housing and a longer term view on the cost of Sprinklers which is estimated at 1-2% of the total cost of construction with annual maintenance costs between £75 - £150 per year.

CFOA has been raising awareness of the benefits of Sprinklers for the last decade and has been lobbying since 2006 for legislative change which would see the installation of sprinklers in all new build properties as well as a retrofitting programme to all accommodation which houses vulnerable people.

The National Assembly for Wales recently issued a consultation paper on their proposals to amend Part B of building regulations to include the installation of Sprinklers in new build homes which was criticised by DCLG as "increasing the burden on regulation on the housing market in Wales."

Vij Randeniya, CFOA President said, "We are extremely disappointed by the negative response from DCLG and the fact they continue to ignore advice from fire and rescue service (FRS) professionals. Over 300 people die in fires each year and sprinklers are the most effective way to ensure fires are suppressed or even extinguished before the FRS can arrive. They save lives and reduce injuries, protect firefighters who attend incidents and reduce the amount of damage to both property and the environment from fire.

"We would urge the UK government to reconsider its negative stance to the Welsh approach and its short sighted attitude to the installation of sprinklers. Fire and rescue services see first hand the devastating consequences fire can have and we are repeatedly warning DCLG they are not doing enough to prevent people dying or being injured in their own homes. It appears they want to support the profits of house builders more than they want to protect people's lives. We ask the UK government to consider the Welsh approach here in England to prevent further tragic deaths from fire."

At its height they used around a mile of hose to get water to the seven hundred metres of burning peat near Twelve Yards Road.

Three fire engines from fire stations in Irlam, Salford and Eccles were called to the remote site at 1.16pm on Thursday, June 6, and quickly called for more crews to help them get water to the site.

Station Manager Paul Duggan said: "Crews worked tirelessly for hours in the heat to try to control this fire.

"Getting water to the remote peat land was challenging and involved a lot of hose - almost a mile - to get water from fire engines.

"In the warm dry weather the peat is dry so fires like this can burn for days but crews made good progress - we used a number of jets of water and beaters to bring it under control - and we were damping down by 10pm."

One fire engine remained at the site overnight and it's expected Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service crews will maintain a presence on the Moss into Friday, June 7 to monitor and dampen down small isolated pockets of fire.

At its height, large amounts of smoke could be seen from the Manchester to Liverpool railway line as a result of the fire.

Chair of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Councillor David Acton said: "In this warm dry weather we'd like to remind people to take care because dry land and discarded rubbish can catch fire easily.

"Our crews worked in the heat for hours to control the fire on Irlam Moss - so we'd like that to serve as a reminder for people to take care when discarding smoking materials and to take any rubbish home to dispose of it safely and properly."

For more photographs go to www.facebook.com/manchesterfire
 

The Tameside Fire Safety Ambassadors are unleashing their innovative approach to educating their families, friends and neighbours about how to be safer at home after completing a six-month course with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS).

Eight young women celebrated their achievements of the last 24 weeks with a presentation at Hyde Town Hall last week.

The project came about as the result of an innovative partnership between GMFRS and Hyde Community Action's ACE (Always Connecting Everyone) girls' group.

GMFRS Community Safety Advisor Wendy Hall, who developed and led the project, said: "The commitment and enthusiasm of these girls has meant they have achieved some amazing things in the last six months.

"They are now going to help us ensure that Asian people, particularly the Bangladeshi community that lives so close to Hyde Fire Station, will be safer as they pass on the knowledge and training they've received.

"They are now ready to help us break down any barriers we may face to supporting people as best we can."

Gemma Gaskell, youth work coordinator for Hyde Community Action, said: "The Fire Safety Ambassadors completed the course in their spare time alongside other educational commitments.

"They are now ready to go into their community and support the fire service to make homes safe and we are very proud of their commitment.

"Not only are they knowledgeable around the main causes of fire and planning escape routes but they are also able to translate the information in Bengali which almost certainly will help to eliminate lack of knowledge in Bengali homes due to language barriers."

The programme was developed by taking elements of GMFRS Prince's Trust and cadet schemes as well as establishing some unique elements for the girls to learn about the Service and fire safety.

Ambassadors learned about various roles GMFRS has - they spent an evening working with Fire Safety Officer Dave Prince who highlighted work he does to make businesses safer through inspections, audits and prosecutions.

The group met every Wednesday at Hyde Fire Station and while increasing their knowledge they worked with crews, Apprentice Community Safety Advisor Greg Brunt, Fire Investigator Mike Wellings and Senior Communications Officer Bridget Aherne.

During the presentation evening on May 15, they gave the first public performance of a fire safety rap they wrote during the programme.

The project was even recognised as good practice when the Asian Fire Service Association (AFSA) awarded GMFRS their Fire and Rescue Service of the Year accolade at their conference last month.

Tameside Fire Safety Ambassadors designed their own hooded top and hijab as part of the project so the community is easily able to identify them.

The girls are now able to carry out Home Safety Checks and will be doing so with GMFRS firefighters and staff and talking to people about fire safety at community events.

For a free Home Safety Check, which could include the fitting of smoke alarms, please call GMFRS on 0800 555 815 or visit /fire_safety_advice/home_fire_risk_assessments.aspx

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) is supporting the Smokefree Homes and Cars campaign, which raises awareness of the harm caused by second-hand smoke and encourages people to order Smokefree Kits to help make their homes and cars safer.

Over 80 per cent of cigarette smoke is invisible and the campaign aims to highlight the harm that second-hand smoke can do - it is dangerous for anyone exposed to it, but children are especially vulnerable and exposure puts them at increased risk of lung disease, meningitis and cot death.

GMFRS is supporting the Smokefree Homes and Cars campaign as part its ongoing efforts to encourage people to stop smoking and help to prevent fires caused by smoking materials.

Figures show that 42 per cent of accidental fire deaths over a five-year period (2007/08 - 2011/12) were caused by carelessly discarded smoking materials.

Second-hand smoke results in over 300,000 GP visits, 9,500 hospital visits in the UK each year and costs the NHS more than £23.6 million every year. 

The GMFRS Contact Centre will be sending out Smokefree Homes and Cars leaflets to residents in Greater Manchester during the campaign - which was launched on Tuesday, June 4 and runs until Sunday, July 14 - and Prevention staff will be talking about the campaign and the benefits of going smokefree while carrying out Home Safety Checks and community safety initiatives.

Chair of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, Councillor David Acton, said: "Smoking is still one of the biggest causes of fire in the home in Greater Manchester and the easiest way to protect yourself against a smoking-related fire is to not smoke at all.

"If you do smoke, ensure you smoke outdoors, away from children and other people and always ensure cigarettes are fully stubbed out."

For advice on how to quit smoking or for local support services, visit http://manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/home_fire_safety/smoking_safety/stop_smoking.aspx

For further information on smoking safety, please visit the GMFRS website here: http://manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/home_fire_safety/smoking_safety.aspx

Order a Smokefree Kit here: http://smokefree.nhs.uk/?WT.mc_id= and find out more about the campaign here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england