Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 14/05/2010 08:29

Cornwall Fire and Rescue staff in Falmouth and Penryn have been putting on their tracksuits and engaging with young people to get across a targeted fire safety message to the local community.

Year 6 children from schools in the area have enjoyed ‘Tag Rugby’ coaching sessions from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service personnel following a classroom presentation aimed at reducing hoax calls and arson in the local community.

Justin Sharp, Station Manager, Falmouth Community Fire Station explained: “The number of malicious calls and deliberate fires recorded in the Falmouth and Penryn area is one and a half times the average in Cornwall. Of these incidents, statistics indicate that a significant number of offenders are in the 10-17 year old age group. In addition 7% of calls in the Falmouth and Penryn area have been recorded as malicious which equates to approx £6000 per annum to the tax payer, not to mention the loss to the many Retained Duty Staff who leave their primary role to respond. This has a knock on cost to local business.

This initiative allows us to engage with each ten to eleven year old within the Falmouth and Penryn area; educating and informing each child on the cost to the community and themselves of hoax calls and arson.

By working together with Penryn Schools Sport Partnership, who host a Tag Rugby Tournament each year for Year 6 pupils, we have been able to combine our community fire safety message with a Tag Rugby Coaching session.”

Atkins, partners with CFRS in a private finance initiative, have kindly sponsored the risk reduction team which is made up of both men and women to reflect our community and our workforce.

Dave Sands, AAM Contracts Manager to Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said: -

"Since Atkins established our long term relationship with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, as part of our service delivery as a supplier to the Private Finance Initiative contract, we have worked with the CFRS on several community projects. We see the programme to reduce risk in local communities whilst supporting youth rugby as a good opportunity to build relations with the young people of the county and to help retain a sport which has great traditions within Cornwall."

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service coaches will assist at the tournament at Penryn College from 1300hrs – 1530hrs on Friday May 14.

Notes to editors:
Twenty FRS personnel undertook a Coaching Course with Phil Morris of England RFU (SW).

The session was kindly hosted by Penryn Rugby Club.

Atkins kindly sponsored the training wear worn by CFRS coaches.

CFRS thank Atkins, Phil Morris England RFU (SW) and Mr Roger Symons, Chair, Penryn RFC.

CFRS coaches gave a free Tag Rugby session to each class to help prepare them for the tournament on May 14.

Any one wishing to take up Rugby should contact Falmouth RFC and Penryn RFC.

CFRS responded to 88 Hoax calls countywide since April 09 (One and two pump responses) this averages £250 a call – Total £22,000 to tax payer.

CFRS successfully challenged 165 hoax calls since April 09. If these had attracted a one pump turn-out the cost to CFRS would have been around £30,000. Therefore a £30,000 saving has been achieved by successful call challenging.

30% of all calls within the County are recorded as deliberate ignition (arson).