Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 19/10/2009 09:13

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service has joined forces with Council colleagues from the Flashpoint Lifeskills Centre, trading standards, road safety and building control to stage three days of events for school children. Children from 18 primary schools took part in a variety of fun activities which gave serious practical advice on how to recognise and deal safely with a variety of hazards in simulated ‘real life’ situations.

With sessions held over three days (6 – 8 October) the Lifeskills Event at Truro Community Fire Station also brought together representatives from the police and ambulance services, Western Power Distribution and Shelterbox.

Almost four hundred 9 and 10 year olds from 18 primary schools took part as they were encouraged to spot potential hazards in a kitchen; be aware of road safety with special emphasis on wearing protective clothing when out cycling; recognise the dangers of building sites and what warning signs mean; the hazard of fishing or kite flying near power lines; the laws relating to drugs and alcohol and the importance of knowing what to do in the event of a fire.

Chief Fire Officer Des Tidbury comments: “I am delighted that colleagues from so many council departments and partner organisations got involved in this initiative. We are all working together to spread the community message – not just community safety but community values and cohesion.”

Cornwall Council cabinet member for stronger communities Lance Kennedy said: “Initiatives like this not only encourage children to come to a fire station and see how it all works at first hand but provides a valuable example of how, when services and organisations work together, individuals can learn important safety lessons which benefit the community as a whole.”

Year 9 pupils from Richard Lander School acted as mentors to the younger children and all the children that took part received a special certificate.

The Lifeskills Event at Truro Community Fire Station complements the work carried out at the Flashpoint Lifeskills Centre in Bodmin which allows groups of people of all ages to learn about safety by experiencing risk as visitors have first hand experience of confronting potentially dangerous and hazardous situations in complete safety.

The schools that took part in the event are:
Blackwater Community Primary School
Chacewater Community Primary School
Gerrans School
Grampound-with-Creed CE School
Kea Community Primary School
Ladock CE School
Mount Hawke Community Primary School
Pencalenick School
Perranporth Community Primary School
Shortlanesend Community Primary School
St Agnes School
St Erme with Trispen Community Primary School
St Mary’s Church of England School, Truro
Tregolls School
Tregony Community Primary School
Treyew School
Truro High School
Veryan CE School

Related item: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=18868