Bike mad kids in Doncaster can pedal proficiently thanks to fire station hosted cycle safety sessions.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has teamed up with Doncaster Council to deliver the sessions at Thorne fire station, which proved to be a popular venue for the cycling course.

The fire station’s yard provided a safe environment to carry out the cycling lessons, which aim to increase the road safety knowledge of those who attend.

The ‘Bikeability’ course is facilitated by Pedal Ready Cycle Training and is open to individuals of all ages who are looking to either improve their current cycling ability or learn to ride a bike for the very first time. The course focuses on developing observation and manoeuvrability skills and provides an introduction to the Highway Code for young cyclists. Safety is also a main feature of the course and those who attend receive advice on how to be noticeable when riding on the roads as well as the importance of correctly fitting a cycle helmets.

Station Manager Mike Anthony, who has been working on this project, said: “We are looking to expand the involvement of fire crews in local community projects such as Bikeability. By using our stations for projects like this, we are able to improve safety within our communities and we hope that the sessions at Thorne fire station are to be the first of many.”

Andy Maddox, Business Development Officer for Doncaster Council, said: “We are delighted to support this project as we are keen to encourage more people into cycling more often. This scheme helps to facilitate this. The first session was very well attended and we look forward to a summer presence in Thorne.”

Pedal Ready Cycle provides free cycle training across the Doncaster area as well as Sheffield and Rotherham.  If you’d like to find out more, email admin@pedalready.co.uk or phone 0114 241 2775.

A South Yorkshire woman whose life was transformed by a fire and police led youth programme has met TV talent show stars.

Leanne Blakey aged 21, from Mexborough, has become a Young Ambassador for Prince’s Trust after hailing the impact its 12 week Team Programme has had on her confidence, skills and employment chances.

Leanne has overcome numerous difficulties in her life, including periods of homelessness, enduring difficult relationships and facing mental health problems.

She found out about the Dearne fire station based Prince’s Trust Team Programme through her job centre. She quickly developed her confidence, becoming closer with the other young people on the scheme and eventually felt able to share her story for the first time. Since completing the programme, she has gone on to secure a job as a carer for children and people with learning disabilities.

She told her inspirational story at a fundraising event, prompting a kind-hearted guest to gift their auction prize of a trip to The Voice final in London to Leanne and her friend.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s Prince’s Trust Team Leader John Daley, said: “The first time I met Leanne she was quiet and very reserved. We immediately knew we needed her on our programme and that there was something there that needed to be brought out.

“We knew she had a spark and she would be an integral and important part of the team. Within the first week we saw that she was highly strung, but again this was outweighed by her ability to talk to others and her level of empathy was astounding. Throughout the programme we nurtured and helped Leanne knowing that when she completed the programme she would be in a far better place.

“At the final presentation Leanne reduced the entire audience to tears when addressing them and giving the reasons she came on the programme – how she was suffering with mental health issues due to multiple traumatic life events that happened between the ages of 14 – 19. She talked about her past and she told the audience how the programme had given her the strength to talk about her past and face it.”

“I feel proud to have been a small part of this personal growth and honestly believe that without this programme and the work the Prince’s Trust is doing, Leanne would have been lost in the system. She is now a beacon to other young people who have been through the same traumas as her. Young people can see there is hope and there are people who are willing to help.”

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue and South Yorkshire Police teamed up with the Prince’s Trust to deliver the Team Programme more than two years ago. During that time around 150 young people have benefited from the 12 week personal development course for unemployed 16 – 25 year olds, offering work experience, qualifications, practical skills, community projects and a residential week.

The courses are based at fire stations and are the only programmes of their type in the country to be jointly delivered by fire and police services. For more information or to sign-up, email princestrust@syfire.gov.uk

An off-duty South Yorkshire firefighter who helped to save the life of a football fan has been awarded a top fire service honour.

Caz Whiteman, a South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) firefighter currently based on green watch at Rotherham fire station, was in the crowd for the match at Leicester’s Champions League clash against Sevilla at King Power Stadium last year when a fellow spectator collapsed with a suspected heart attack.

Caz, who was sat nearby, immediately rushed to support pitch side first aiders and deliver cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for more than 15 minutes until he was taken to hospital by ambulance. The man, Jim Blockley, has since made a full recovery.

Now Caz has been presented with a Chief Fire Officer’s Commendation – the highest SYFR award – for displaying quick thinking and bravery to save a member of the public’s life whilst off duty. She was presented with her certificate at a formal ceremony in front of fire crews, family and friends.

Caz said at the time: “My seats were just three rows from the front of the pitch and just as the teams were starting to come out for the second half, I noticed that a spectator was in difficulty. I came down to the front of the pitch to see what I could do to help and it became clear he had suffered a heart attack and gone into cardiac arrest. Along with the pitch side medics, I cleared his airway and immediately performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions.

“This is where the skills I’ve picked up from my day job really came into their own. Firefighters already have the skills and knowledge to provide effective first responder care in emergency situations, particularly at incidents were we may arrive on scene before paramedics. My actions were a natural, instinctive reaction to the situation in front of me. Anyone with the right skills and training would have done the same thing. I’m just so relieved that Jim has made it.”

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Martin Blunden, said: “It’s extremely fitting that Caz’s actions that night have been recognised with the highest honour the fire service can bestow. Her brilliant quick thinking and life saving actions really did go above and beyond the call of duty and highlight that, in some ways, a firefighter is never ‘off duty’.

“It was particularly touching for Jim and his family to attend the commendation event and to hear first hand how overwhelmed they were by what Caz had done for him.”

A former apprentice turned fire service employee has hailed the strength of the organisation’s apprenticeship scheme after it helped build her skills and experience to land a full time role.

In April 2016, Ellie Bolton became an apprentice in the Business Fire Safety department at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR), assisting and supporting Fire Safety Inspecting Officers, Ellie soon became a valued member of the team.  It was here that she gained the skills and experience required to further her career in the Fire Service.

Two years later as the apprenticeship was coming to an end, a full time vacancy became available in the Data Management section and her drive and determination spurred her on to apply for the post of Data Administrator.  Ellie was successful and became a member of staff in March 2018.

Ellie said; “Without the apprenticeship I would not have developed the skills and confidence that secured me this role. The apprenticeship has changed my life and has benefited me in many ways and I would recommend it to anyone.”

Amy Jenkinson, Business Fire Safety Manager at SYFR said; “Ellie is a fantastic example of how apprenticeships can help individuals further their careers. Ellie has gone from strength to strength and the knowledge and skills she acquired during her time as an apprentice was a large factor in her gaining employment within the service.  We are all really proud of her and wish her all the best in her future career.”

Any future apprenticeship opportunities will be advertised on the jobs page of our website.

South Yorkshire’s fire crews have taken part in a realistic training exercise to test their response in the event of a major incident.

The exercise took place at the Fly DSA Arena in Sheffield with 10 fire crews from Parkway, Elm Lane, Central, Rotherham, Birley Moor, Tankersley and Thorne fire stations last week.  It tested South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s operational response to a chemical incident.

The scenario involved a number of people being exposed to a chemical. The exercise included around 40 volunteers from the fire and police service’s Prince’s Trust Team Programme and students from the public services course at Barnsley College who all acted as casualties.

Station Manager Nicholas Abbott, said: “Our firefighters are ready to respond to a huge number of different incident types, from fires to road traffic collisions. We issue lots of guidance to our crews about the different sorts of scenarios they might come across in the line of duty, but really the best way of preparing our response is to test it out for real.

“We’re extremely grateful to Fly DSA Arena for making the exercise as realistic as possible and providing some vital technical input on the day.

This recent exercise formed part of an ongoing aim at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue to continually improve emergency response procedures to incidents that aren’t just fires.

Fire officers say they will face difficult decisions about how to maintain their 999 response service, if they are unable to continue using a fire station staffing system in place since 2014.

Four of South Yorkshire’s 21 fire stations use a system called ‘Close Proximity Crewing’, which saves around £1.6 million from the service’s annual budget without any affect on 999 response times.

The voluntary system sees firefighters ‘on-call’ while living at the station for up to 4 days a week, in exchange for a 29% pay increase.

Crew members are provided with accommodation and recreational facilities, and are allowed family visitors during stand-down time.

The same system, or variants of it, are also used by around a quarter of other fire and rescue services, but reference to the system in South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s Integrated Risk Management Plan, published in April 2017, has been challenged by the Fire Brigade’s Union.

The dispute centres on CPCs non-compliance with working time regulations, despite the Health & Safety Executive noting that other shift patterns which CPC has replaced also do not comply- including a system known as ‘2-2-4’ which is the most commonly used crewing system in place at fire stations in the UK.

A legal judgement on whether CPC can remain in SYFR’s plans has been postponed until the end of April.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Martin Blunden, said: “The most recent plans, which were approved by the Fire Authority in 2017, reaffirm the commitment we have repeatedly made since the beginning of austerity in 2010, to provide the best possible service to the people of South Yorkshire within the resources which are available to us.

“For us, CPC remains part of fulfilling that vision and a move away from the system would require us to make other changes to our 999 service which will inevitably impact on our emergency response.”

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has lost a quarter of its Government funding since 2010. Its fire stations at Lowedges, Tankersley, Edlington and Aston Park currently use Close Proximity Crewing.

The fire service has issued a fire safety warning of the dangers of over-heating wheat bags, following an inquest into the death of a man in his 70’s at his home in Rotherham.

Firefighters from Doncaster and Maltby were called to the incident on Glaisdale Close at 12:01pm on Sunday 12 November. Upon arrival at this incident, it was apparent that there had been a slow burning fire which was already extinguished when fire crews arrived. Firefighters gained access to the property via the front door and discovered the body in the front room of the bungalow.

Fire investigators found a wheat bag that had been overheated to have been the cause of the fire.

The coroner, Louise Slater recorded a verdict of accidental death at yesterday’s inquest.

Station Manager Simon Rodgers, who investigated the cause of the fire, said: “No one deserves to die in these circumstances and ultimately any house fire death is preventable, regardless of any other factors which may have contributed to that person’s death.

“To ensure that microwavable heat bags are used safely, users should always ensure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, as these bags can become too hot if heated for longer than recommended.

“We want to again call on our partners in the health, housing and social care sectors to do more to help us identify those who are most at risk of fire, so that we can put extra measures in place to help prevent fatal fires.”

Safety advice for preventing fires caused by wheat bags includes:

• Only purchase a wheat bag that comes with clear manufacturer instructions
• Always follow manufacturer’s instructions and never heat the bag for longer than recommended
• If you know an elderly person who uses a wheat bag, explain the manufacturer’s instructions to them
• Leave wheat bags to cool in a safe area and don’t use one in a confined space such as under bedding

Adwick fire station is to play host to a series of Stop Smoking Services to help Doncaster residents quit the habit.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) is working in partnership with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust, to provide a meeting group once a week at Adwick station to help support residents who feel that the time has come to take that step to a healthier lifestyle.

The Stop Smoking sessions offer a wide range of support which is able to aid all sorts of smokers, even those who have been smoking for long periods of time and may think that they wouldn’t be able to give up. Smokers who seek help have a much greater chance of success than those who do not.

The sessions. take place every Tuesday evening from 5:30pm to 8pm. If you would like to attend the next Stop Smoking group at Adwick fire station, please call 0800 612 0011 (free on landline) or 0330 660 1166 (free on mobile).

Steve Helps, Head of Prevention and Protection at SYFR said; “Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable disease and premature deaths in the UK. It is also a major cause of accidental death, injury and property damage from house fires attributed to smoking in the UK every year. This initiative is a positive step towards keeping the people of South Yorkshire healthier and safer in their own homes.”

Mark Falcomer at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said; “Yorkshire Smokefree provides expert NHS advice and support for anyone who wants to stop smoking. So when you’re ready to quit, we’re ready to help. Our friendly experts will help you find the best way to quit and provide support throughout your journey, so you’re smoke-free in no time.

“We offer a range of resources to suit your needs and ensure you’re smoke-free as soon as possible.

“You are five times more likely to quit smoking with products and support which are available for free with Yorkshire Smokefree Doncaster. Products include patches, gum, lozenges inhalator, mouth spray and champix.”

SYFR is one of the signatories of the Yorkshire and Humber Emergency Services Prevention and Early Intervention Consensus Statement, which has been co-ordinated by Public Health England.

With demand for health and social care rising, the main focus of the agreement is for emergency services to use their joint intelligence, skills and resources to support communities with ill-health prevention and early intervention where problems are identified.

This includes greater sharing and development of referral pathways into key services such as falls prevention and support for mental health, alcohol and drug problems, advice to keep homes warm and social support to combat loneliness and isolation.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR) has teamed up with NHS Blood and Transplant to provide venues for local communities to attend blood donation sessions.

The first session took place at Doncaster fire station last week which proved to be a popular venue for the lifesaving sessions.

The fire station’s appliance bay was temporarily adapted while the sessions took place, with health screening areas and a number of beds in place so that NHS Blood and Transplant staff could welcome donors and perform blood donation procedures. The fire engines were parked on a different part of the site during the session but the crew was still available to attend incidents as usual.

Station Manager Claire Duke, who has been working on this project, said: “We hope that the sessions at Doncaster station will be the first of many we can provide for the NHS Blood and Transplant who are always on the lookout for new venues across the county. We are already planning more sessions at other fire stations in South Yorkshire in the near future.”

Chief Nurse and Assistant Director of Blood Donation Jane Green emphasised the value of the project: “We are extremely grateful to South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue for allowing us to use their Fire Stations for blood donation sessions free of charge. This initiative goes a long way to reduce our venue hire cost which in turn means that we can continue providing blood products to hospitals at sustainable cost. Fire Stations are also at the heart of the communities and easily accessible for our donors which enhances their donation experience.”

A number of future sessions are planned at Doncaster fire station on:

17 April 2018
10 July 2018
03 August 2018

All will run from 11am – 7:30pm

If you are interested in attending one of these sessions please register and book your appointment by visiting www.blood.co.uk website or alternatively call 0300 123 2323.

Charities and public bodies have hailed the success of a fire service partnership set up to help those on the streets or at risk of being on the streets in Sheffield.

Twenty nine people spent the night at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s headquarters during six of the coldest nights of the year.

The new scheme has proven so successful, agencies including British Red Cross, Framework’s Street Outreach Team and Sheffield City Council’s Housing Solutions service are working with the fire service to formalise the partnership ready for next winter.

Area Manager Tony Carlin, said: “Helping people in need and saving lives is core to our mission as a fire service, so it made perfect sense for us to answer the call for emergency accommodation during the recent cold snaps. This initiative provides comfort, warmth and shelter for rough sleepers and the homeless and is a clear example of public agencies working together to help some of the most vulnerable people in our area. Whilst this was hastily pulled together for this year, it’s something we intend to repeat next winter we continue to do what we can as a fire service to make our communities safer.”

Councillor Jayne Dunn, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety said:  “It’s important to us, particularly with the recent cold weather that we have seen in the last few weeks, that extra care and shelter is provided for those most in need in the city. I’m grateful to all of the partners involved in this initiative who have planned, organised and worked together to make this happen in Sheffield for those who are most vulnerable. We’re hoping that those who have been less likely to come indoors in the past will recognise how much they can benefit from taking us up on our offer of support in the future.”

Joe Tilston, British Red Cross Senior Emergency Response Officer for Yorkshire said: “We responded to the request from Sheffield City Council alongside South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue to support the scheme providing emergency shelter to the homeless in the city. British Red Cross volunteers and staff are provided practical and emotional support, including the provision of hot food and drinks, and signposting service users to longer-term support where needed.”

Under the scheme, British Red Cross volunteers were on hand to welcome people and provide hot drinks and snacks, with Framework’s Street Outreach Team and Sheffield City Council’s Housing Solutions service helping people to access accommodation and support.

During the winter Sheffield City Council activates its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, known locally as Weather Watch, in response to the potential risk to life when the weather is very cold.

Every week early morning outreach sessions take place in Sheffield to identify and support people who are sleeping rough.

As well as support with accommodation, Sheffield has a number of services which offer practical help and advice to rough sleepers.

This includes drop in services offering food, clothing, showers and laundry facilities as well as access to healthcare professionals and recovery support There are also services commissioned by Sheffield City Council, as well as local charities and voluntary organisations providing practical assistance, plus housing advice and support.

For more information about help for rough sleepers visit the Sheffield City Council website. or Help Us Help.