Saving Lives and Community Millions

Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service (BLFRS) is helping to save lives and money among the community it serves. Arson reduction alone has saved the county £11 Million in the last three years.

The news was announced this week by the Deputy Chief Fire Officer Graeme Smith and is the latest good news from the service which was earlier given top marks by the Audit Commission.

Arson has been cut by 50% in some areas of Luton particularly, thanks to the pioneering work of the Arson Task Forces and partner organisations.

DCFO Smith was highlighting information from the BLFRS Improvement Plan which shows activity involving BLFRS and indicates that it had to deal with:

  • 9% fewer fires;

  • attendance at road traffic accidents was down 8%

  • and special services were reduced by 5%

  • Overall accidental fires in houses were down 12.5%

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    Since national figures put the cost of every house fire at £34,000 and similar formulas are used to work out costs of road traffic accidents, the total saving to the community is likely to be much more than the £11 Million which can be credited to arson reduction.

    "The important thing is that we are making a contribution to keeping the community safe," added DCFO Smith.

    "We have carried out 4,000 home fire safety checks, fitted 4,000 smoke detectors and brought increased awareness of fire safety in the home and workplace to thousands of people young and old.

    In partnership with the police and other agencies we are trying to get back on road traffic accidents which cost the community dear - in terms of people lives more than the financial cost.

    Road safety is a key part of the work of BLFRS - in effect front line crews remove SEVEN TIMES as many people from accidents than they do from burning buildings.

    BLFRS is involved with a range of road safety intiatives to reduce death and injuries in cars (Such as the series of Road Skills to be staged at Luton Fire Station. Next: 11 November 2007)

    We are working also to keep our own staff safer when they saving the lives of others and have reduced accidents  among our own people in the front line or on station by 30%.

    This is an area we are going to be focusing on in the coming 12 months - to make sure we all come home safely."

    New Improvement Plan can be downloaded this BLFRS website