The devastating fires in Ashill this time last year, alongside the wildfires currently unfolding in Greece as a result of the European heatwave, remind us of the continued risk posed to our rural Mid Norfolk community as a consequence of prolonged dry, hot weather – likely to be an increasingly common occurrence over the coming years, alongside spells of extreme weather year-round.
That’s why I was pleased to visit Norfolk Fire and Rescue at their Dereham station this past Friday. Present were the Chief Fire Officer for Norfolk Ceri Sumner, the Leader of Norfolk County Council Kay Mason Billig, and local councillors Margaret Dewsbury and Phillip Duigan. It was a pleasure to learn more about the work of the Urban Search and Rescue(USAR) team. Initially set up in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, this highly trained team can be deployed to a range of situations including road traffic accidents, wildfires, floods, building collapses, and more.
They form part of the national USAR response forces, with their location in Dereham giving them important coverage of the East of England, and ensuring that a USAR team can reach anywhere across the UK within an appropriate timescale.
Their demonstration on Friday highlighted the important skillsets which USAR has, from confined space searches and at-height rescues to rapid and effective area searches using sniffer dogs. To maintain and utilise their skills they have special equipment such as drones, and train intensively. It was a privilege to be able to see examples of this training on Friday.
As skilled as USAR and the wider Norfolk Fire Service are, it is CRITICAL that we ALL remain vigilant – both in preventing fires and emergencies, and knowing what information to provide when reporting one. This means that the Fire Service can allocate resources to where they are needed most, helping keep us all safer. Whilst we have experienced some recent rain, items as innocuous as a piece of broken glass remain enough to start potentially devastating fires. Please see the graphics and read the advice at the bottom of this article, so that you know how to help keep our Mid Norfolk community safe.
Please rest assured that I remain fully committed to ensuring that USAR has a long-term future here in Norfolk, alongside the wider Norfolk Fire Service, and have the support they need to continue their life-saving work.
NORFOLK FIRE AND RESCUE GUIDANCE
1. Prevent wildfires
Residents and visitors can help prevent wildfires in Norfolk by following four simple steps:
1. Dispose of cigarette butts responsibly rather than throwing them on the ground
2. Do not have BBQs in parks and public spaces other than designated areas. Portable BBQs pose the greatest risk, especially when they are placed directly on the ground - avoid using them altogether
3. Do not have campfires or bonfires except in carefully managed and designated areas. You must never leave them unattended and always have the ability toextinguish them if you need to
4. Do not drop glass bottles because they can magnify the sun's rays and cause fires
Remember, if you see any signs of smoke or wildfire report it immediately to 999
2. Protect your home
All residents should take steps to protect their home from wildfire
1. Trim back shrubs or trees that are close to / touching your home and dispose of cuttings responsibly. Piles of cuttings are fuel for fire.
2. Clear away any build-up of flammable material in and around your garden such as leaves, compost heaps, log piles, dry grass etc.
3. Check for spaces between roof tiles or within your home where burning embers could become lodged such as rain gutters.
4. Position sheds and outbuilding away from your home and make sure that flammable substances (including fertilisers and pesticides) are stored safely
5. Ensure your home is adequately insured and protected with smoke detection
