Fire safety bosses are calling on Sheffield’s student to ditch door wedges and use a packet of biscuits instead to make friends.

The safety plea comes as experts fear the city’s new arrivals could be tempted to wedge open fire doors which are meant to keep them safe in the event of a major blaze.

Reports from elsewhere in the country suggest that some student marketing companies actually provide door wedges in a bid to make it easier for students to make friends.

But South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue business fire safety officers say fire doors in large, student accommodation blocks are there for a reason.

Business Fire Safety Manager Amy Jenkinson, said: “Fire doors are a crucial part of the passive fire protection of every commercial, public and multiple occupancy building. They save lives and property and should never be propped open. They are designed to stop a fire spreading as fast, which is especially important in accommodation like student complexes where multiple people live.

“We’re aware of some people around the country providing door wedges to promote friendship, but suggest that there are safer and more effective ways of making new friends- from a cup of tea and a packet of biscuits, to sharing some music or a film.”

Other tips for students to keep them safe from fire include:

• Don’t cook under the influence of alcohol- buy a takeaway after a night out instead
• Switch off electrical appliances like mobile chargers, laptops and hair straighteners when not in use
• Plan and practice an escape route with your house mates. In the event of a fire- get out, stay out and dial 999
• Never leave candles unattended and keep them away from curtains, drapes and clothes

A fire crew from Sheffield is celebrating after coming out on top in a national competition to test firefighters’ search and rescue skills in heat and smoke.

Central White Watch were awarded first place in the UK finals of the Breathing Apparatus (BA) challenge- defending the title they won last year.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue firefighters competed against 15 other fire crews from across the UK, including West Yorkshire, West Midlands and Cornwall.

Each team tackled a series of scenarios involving the rescue of ‘casualties’ from inside smoke-filled buildings at Fire Service College in Moreton-in-Marsh.

Awards were also won by Will Selby, who was named best entry control officer, and Chris Moore and John Taylor who won best BA team. A second team from South Yorkshire, made up of officers and instructors from across the service, finished fourth.

Judges at the competition named the Central crew overall winners after scoring firefighters in a number of different skill areas including BA search and rescue, firefighting while in BA, pump operator, BA entry control officer and incident command.

Officers say the competition is proof of the skill and professionalism of the county’s crews.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer John Roberts, who attended the event, said: “We’re very proud that for the second year in a row a crew from South Yorkshire has taken first place in a national competition that was filled with ultra professional, highly-skilled firefighters. The standard is always extremely high but is rising year on year, so for our crew to perform again to such a high standard on the national stage is a fantastic achievement.”

Our latest Prince’s Trust programme is running in Dearne, and the recruits on Team Valiant are really taking the bull by the horns.

They were recently invited by the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion in the Yorkshire Regiment to visit Catterick Garrison and meet the regiment.

It was an early start for the team, travelling to North Yorkshire to take up the invite. On arrival, following introductions, they were treated to a display by the Drums Platoon before moving on to different stances which included vehicle recovery, command tasks, physical training and finally finishing with a weapons and equipment display.

The Commanding Officer commended the group for their participation and enthusiasm, stating how impressed he was with their efforts on the day. The youngsters really demonstrated what a fantastic team they are, winning medals from the Commanding Officer for being the quickest team to complete the command tasks.

On behalf of Team Valiant, we would like to pass on thanks to the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment and The Prince’s Trust for providing this unique opportunity.

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

In 2013, Ben Williamson became an Assistant Fire Cadet Instructor after being a Fire Cadet for a number of years. Wanting to work further with the fire service he became a Fire Support Volunteer within the Community Safety department, assisting and supporting the fire service safety teams by helping out at events, carrying out Home Safety Checks and fitting smoke alarms for members of the public.

Ben soon became a valued member of the team, and it was here that he gained the skills and experience required to further his career within the fire service.

A full time vacancy became available and his drive and determination spurred him on to apply for the permanent post of Maintenance Operative Driver. Ben was successful and became a paid member of staff in September 2016.

Ben said; “Without volunteering I would never have developed the skills and confidence that secured me this role. Volunteering has changed my life and has benefited me in many ways and I would recommend it to anyone.”

Sue Butler, Volunteering Co-Ordinator at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue said; “Ben is a shining example of how volunteering helps out the local community and the individual themselves. Ben has gone from strength to strength and the knowledge and skills he acquired during his time as a volunteer was a large factor in his gaining full time employment within the service. We are all really proud of him and wish him all the best in his career.”

If you are interested in volunteering for South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue call 0114 253 2413.

Fire officers are urging farmers to take steps to protect their livelihoods, after a large number of farm blazes in the last three months.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue has attended 39 fires since June, either on farm sites or involving crops in fields.

Many of those fires were started deliberately, with most farms’ isolated locations, open boundaries and easily ignitable materials like hay and straw making them particularly vulnerable to arson.

More than 1,600 farm buildings are lost to fire each year in the UK, costing farmers thousands of pounds in lost machinery, crops and livestock.

Head of prevention and protection Steve Helps, said: “We get called to dozens of field and farm fires each year in South Yorkshire, with many of these fires occurring around harvesting time.

“Not only do fires like this put lives at risk by potentially diverting fire engines away from other, life threatening incidents, they also cost farmers thousands of pounds in damage.

“The maximum sentence for arson is life in prison. People do get caught and do get prosecuted, so we urge people to report arsonists to the police”.

To help prevent fires, farmers are being asked to:

Remove hay and straw as soon as possible after harvesting
Store fuels, fertilisers and pesticides securely – preferably under lock and key
Check unoccupied and remote areas of the farm to make sure they are safe and secure

Anyone with information about people starting fires in their area should call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Electrical blazes in South Yorkshire have dropped by a quarter, thanks to a fire service safety campaign.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue says it attended 33 electrical related house fires between May and July- 27 per cent fewer than the same months over the last three years.

The fall in incidents comes after a major safety campaign was launched by fire officers to warn the public about the dangers of everything from e-cigs to tumble dryers.

The campaign saw advertising vans carry safety messages to areas of South Yorkshire known to experience high numbers of house fires and radio advertisements warn people about the most common causes of electrical blazes.

Officers also encourage visitors to check the safety of their home electrics by completing a short, online checklist.

Head of community safety Trevor Bernard, said: “We’d like to thank the public for listening to our safety messages, but we’d urge people not to become complacent when it comes to house fires.

“The simple truth is that homes have more small electrical devices in them than probably any time in our history- from tablets and mobile phones, to e-cigarettes and games consoles. Unfortunately, we can’t get round everyone’s home to check the safety of their electrics for them. But by raising awareness of the biggest safety issues. we hope we can give people the knowledge to check their own electrics and hopefully prevent a serious fire.”

Electricity is involved in about two thirds of all accidental house fires, with household appliances the most common culprits.

Sometimes fires are caused by faulty goods, which could be small items like mobile chargers, or big things like washing machines and dryers.

Fires are also caused by people misusing electrical appliances, for example by leaving them plugged in for too long or covering them up allowing them to overheat.

The fire service has issued the following advice to stop electrical fires:

• Don’t buy cheap, unbranded chargers and make sure chargers are compatible to the device you are using
• Don’t leave things to charge overnight or beyond the recommended charging time. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
• Keep electrical items away from flammable materials when charging
• Don’t overload sockets– long, strip adaptors are safest, but can only take a total of 13 amps
• People can still check the safety of their home electrics by visiting 13orbust.co.uk

Fire and police in South Yorkshire are teaming up to deliver the UK’s first ever Princes Trust course to be jointly run by the two 999 services.

The two emergency services are calling on young people to sign up for the Princes Trust Team Programme, with two courses running in the county this autumn.

Team Programme is a 12 week personal development course for unemployed 16 to 25 year olds, offering work experience, qualifications, practical skills, community projects and a residential week.

Individuals will gain new skills and qualifications, mix with new people and make new friends, get help with job-hunting and CV writing and most importantly a big boost to their confidence and a real sense of achievement.

This year the Princes Trust celebrates 40 years and we are proud to be continuing to support this work through the Team Programme.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Team Leader John Daley said; “The fire service has previously held Team Programmes which have been huge successes, but this will be our first joint Programme with the police. We are really excited by the prospect of the joint course and what we will now be able to deliver to the young people taking part. The course will include team building exercises, work placements, CV writing and loads more, which will give them a real sense of purpose and achievement.”

South Yorkshire Police Deputy Team Leader Paul Hamshaw said; “We are really excited to be working on this programme jointly with the fire service. It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people who are out of education or employment to come and learn new skills, meet new friends, take part in an action packed residential trip and gain work experience, all completely free.

“This is a unique programme, during which you can gain an insight into the police and fire services. If you’re not completely sure if this is for you, give us a call and we can talk to you about what is expected – you won’t be disappointed with the programme.”

Devon Hazeldine, member of a previous SYFR Team Programme  and now working  as a volunteer and mentor on the Prince’s Trust Programme said; “This course has enabled me to build my confidence and gain new experiences. I have really enjoyed my time and would say to anybody who wants to learn about themselves, their community and get ahead in life the Prince’s Trust Team programme is worth getting on.”

To be part of the Team Programme or for further details contact John Daley on 07769 887249 or princestrust@syfire.gov.uk.