Older people at sheltered accommodation in Barnsley are to benefit from the installation of new fire safety measures, thanks to a fire service funded initiative.

Churchfields Sheltered housing, part of Berneslai Homes, has been awarded funding for the retrofitting of automatic fire sprinklers. The project will greatly improve the safety of the people living in the building.

Fire sprinklers can have a massive impact on the effects of a fire including saving lives, reducing injury, protecting firefighters who attend the incidents and reducing the amount of damage to both property and the environment from fire.

The project won £49,500 from the South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Authority’s funding scheme, the Stronger Safer Communities Reserve.

The fund saw dozens of registered charities, community organisations and partner agencies come forward and apply for grants from the £2 million fund, which had been set aside from the Authority’s reserves.

Roger Brason, Sprinkler Advocate at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue said, “Automatic fire sprinklers are most effective during the initial stage of a fire occurring, as a properly installed sprinkler will detect the flames heat, initiate an alarm, and activate just moments after the flames appear and can quickly suppress a fire before it gets out of control”

Berneslai Homes Community Buildings Manager Jill Barker said, “We were delighted to hear that we had been awarded funding towards fitting a sprinkler system in one of our sheltered housing schemes. They are an excellent way of protecting both people and buildings from the effects of a fire.”

Young people in Rotherham have passed out with flying colours, after completing a rigorous fire station course aimed at reducing anti-social behaviour in the borough.

The youngsters, aged 13-17, took part in a Achieving Respect and Confidence (ARC) course, a joint initiative between South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, Rotherham Council and other partner agencies including South Yorkshire Police.

The project’s aim is to highlight the consequences of anti-social behaviour and provide an intensive multi-agency work experience course, instilling discipline, team spirit, fire safety awareness, life skills and values which will improve the life chances of the young people involved.

The course is aimed at young people who have offended, are at risk of offending or have been victims of crime.

Activities included a self-defence class and fire drills run by firefighters at Rotherham fire station, which hosted the week long course and the young people were supported by staff from Integrated Youth Support Services to enable them to attend and complete. Youngsters were also visited by serving prisoners, to talk to them about the potential consequences of crime and anti-social behaviour.

The passing out parade which marked the end of the project was held in front of the youngster’s family members and dignitaries including the Mayor of Rotherham, John Foden.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s youth engagement officer Keith Watts, said: “The input from the other agencies has been critical in encouraging these young people to think about their behaviour and through discipline and teamwork, make positive choices towards improving their life chances.

“We’ve been running courses like this successfully for several years now and their effectiveness is borne out through a steady reduction in the number of anti-social behaviour related fires our crews are having to attend.”

The second round of funding for South Yorkshire Fire Authority’s Stronger Safer Communities Reserve opened on 7 April and closes on 1 May.

Partner agencies, registered charities and community organisations are invited to submit an expression of interest to deliver new and innovative community safety projects up to two years in length.

The maximum amount of funding available for each project is £150,000 and the minimum amount is £5,000.

We are looking for more projects that add value to existing partnership work and increase collaboration around shared issues such as wellbeing, troubled families, education, diversion and prevention.

You may find the following documents useful:

2013-17 Operational Plan

Community Fire Risk Model

Diversity in the Community handbook

Click the links below for further information on the fund and how to apply.

Information pack

Application form

Publicity Advice

Please download the application form and return to either:

RBywater@syjs.gov.uk

or by post to:

Rhona Bywater
South Yorkshire and Fire Rescue Authority
18 Regent Street
Barnsley
S70 2HG

Timeline update:

Please note that because of a large number of bids to Round 2 , the timeline for assessment and approval is now as follows:

w/c 7 July –    assessment Board evaluation & selection

Mon 27 July – assessment Board recommendations to Fire Authority meeting.