With the summer holidays underway, officers from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service are getting back on their bikes as part of a continued crack down on arson. The holiday generally sees a rise i...
With the summer holidays underway, officers from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service are getting back on their bikes as part of a continued crack down on arson. The holiday generally sees a rise in fire-related incidents and it is hoped that by working with communities and engaging with young people, community initiatives and awareness raising will help to keep these to a minimum. There has been a reduction of over 50% in the number of small fires since 2015- there were 169 fires June-August in 2015 across the county and 80 in 2017.
Talking about the issue, Arson Reduction Officer Rebecca Roberts, said: “Unfortunately at this time of year we tend to see a rise in deliberate fire setting. This can have devastating consequences, particularly in these conditions when the ground is very dry. To tackle this we have developed a robust arson reduction programme which works at a very local level through our ASBIT team (Anti-Social Behaviour Intervention Team) and BIKE teams (Bicycle Intervention Knowledge and Education). These teams are funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe and see us work with Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). We have been speaking at assemblies at both primary and secondary schools across the county to educate young people about fire safety at this time of year. For teenagers this has included that arson is a crime and has real consequences.
“For anyone who has seen any fire setting or suspicious activity in their area our message is this: see it, report it! Please contact the police on 101 with any relevant information. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at their website.
“We would also like to appeal to the owners of derelict or unused properties to make sure that they are secure, as they can be a target for arsonists. You can find information and advice at our website on how to do this: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/health-and-safety-for-businesses/business-fire-safety
or call us to discuss any concerns you may have with the Arson Reduction Team on 02476483205.”
Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Fire and Community Safety Cllr Andy Crump said: “We want to be clear that deliberate fire setting is a crime and will not be tolerated. The vast majority of people would never dream of starting a fire and it is important we all play a part in preventing those few who do. We will work with our partners to do all we can to find and punish anyone deliberately wasting time and endangering lives. We need your help in doing this; if you see it, report it.”
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Seccombe said: “This is a great example of the police and fire services working together to tackle a serious issue. The funding I have provided for arson-reduction programmes has delivered great results to date, but of course any arson is one too many. In the current hot weather the results of an uncontained fire could easily be disastrous. I echo the calls for anyone with information about people who may be involved with deliberate fire-setting to report that information to the police, the Arson Reduction team or anonymously to Crimestoppers.”