Page 188 - Archived Back Issues

FIREFIGHTERS NEWS
Targeted Response Vehicles (TRVs)
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has launched two new-style appliances that will target smaller, low risk incidents, such as rubbish fires, across the area. Although these types of incident generally present a lower risk to the public and firefighters, they currently account for over 70% of total incidents attended by conventional fire engines, and also peak in the evenings.
These new Targeted Response Vehicles (TRVs) will attend lower risk incidents between the hours of 6pm and midnight. It is expected that they will be able to deal effectively with up to 70% of the low risk incidents, with traditional fire appliances attending the more serious and life- threatening.
Meet the Chief
Paul Fuller - Chief Fire Officer QFSM MSc BSc FIFireE MInstLM
Paul Fuller joined the Fire Service in 1978 and worked for West Midlands, West Sussex, Staffordshire and Wiltshire before becoming Chief Fire Officer at Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2002, also spent nine months seconded as Chief Fire Officer to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2009.
He became a Fellow of the Institute of Fire Engineers in 2008 and is Chair of CFOA Services Limited, deputy Chair of Fire Sector Federation, CFOA past President and Trustee of the national charity the Children’s Burns Trust. He holds an MSc in Human Resources Management, Bachelor of Science in Fire Safety Technology and Management.
He is also a member of the Bedfordshire St John County Priory Group, the Police Partnership Board, the Strategic Steering group for the Regional and World Children’s Burns Camp, and Chair of the Bedfordshire and Luton Chief Executive Forum.
In 2008 he received the Queens Fire Service Medal for exemplary service and was made a Freeman of the City of London in 2012.
“Like all Fire Services,” he says, “Bedfordshire needs to be innovative, making less go further every year and finding new ways to provide our services, protect the public and improve safety.
“Perhaps our biggest innovation has been introducing a 24 hour duty system for our firefighters. This gave us better control over their off-duty rest periods and gave Watch and Crew Commanders greater responsibility.
“We have a well-established Fire Cadet Scheme at Sandy, thanks to the support of the Town Council, and are currently expanding it across the county.
“In conclusion I’d like to mention that 2016 will see the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London, perhaps the keystone in the history of firefighting in the country and especially relevant to the WCoFF. We should perhaps not only look back over the incredible progress made since that terrible tragedy, but also look forward to future innovations in protecting the public and making firefighting even safer.
Rolling Thunder is a storming success!
Over a period of three days in March, the largest National Resilience scenario took place called ‘Rolling Thunder’, hosted by Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue, National Resilience team. The incidents included Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), High Volume Pump, Enhanced Logistics Support and Mass Decontamination, Detection identification and Monitoring teams. Rolling thunder was attended by 20 Fire and Rescue Services National Resilience teams from all over the UK, along with Devon & Cornwall Police Disaster Victim Identification, HART, the Royal Air Force and Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service local crews.
Nepal Charity Car Wash
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Dunstable Green Watch Firefighters raised £615 during the Charity Car Wash that was held at Dunstable Fire Station on 18 May 2015.
The car wash was in support of Clive and Heather Wilkinson (foreground in attached photograph) and their fund raising efforts to aid relief to the devastated areas of Nepal that suffered damage in the recent earthquakes. Clive had been a long time crew member at Dunstable.
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