Issued by North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
Members of the Fire Brigades Union will be taking strike action today (25th September 2013) between 12 noon and 4pm.
Fire stations in the more rural areas of North Yorkshire are mainly unaffected by this strike action as the majority of them are crewed by retained (part time/on-call) firefighters, many of whom are not members of the FBU.
In the larger towns we are providing some additional fully trained staff to make up crewing numbers and ensure that there is fire cover in place across the area. All the staff we are using to respond to incidents are fully trained operational staff.
These measures will enable us to attend emergency 999 calls, but as we will still have fewer fire engines overall it is important for the public to take extra care to protect themselves, their families, homes and businesses.
Automatic fire alarms will be a low priority during the strike period, unless there is a risk to life. If there is a 999 call, at a premises where an AFA has activated, confirming a fire we will prioritise these calls, but we ask that people do not call 999 just because the alarm within their premises has activated.
Business owners should check to make sure that the fire risk assessment for the premises is up to date and has been acted on and that the emergency plan is up to date.
The best advice we can give is for everyone to ensure they have a smoke alarm in their home and to check the battery is working and to make sure that they have a fire action plan so that everyone in the house knows how to escape if a fire does break out.
Check on elderly friends and family and test their smoke alarms for them whilst you are there.
More than 50% of fires attended by the fire service nationally start in the kitchen, so we ask that you take particular care when cooking;
- Don’t leave cooking unattended.
- Keep soft items such as tea towels and cloths away from cookers and toasters.
- Keep the oven, hob and grill clean. A buildup of fat and grease can easily catch fire.
Also at home:
- Never leave lit candles unattended.
- Never put a heater near clothes or furnishings
- Ensure cigarettes are stubbed out and disposed of carefully.
If you are travelling on the roads:
- Check your speed and slow down.
- Minimize distractions such as loud music and mobile phones.
- Always wear your seatbelt.
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