A pioneering drive aimed at cutting fire-related deaths has taken to Bradford's streets - thanks to a unique partnership between the fire service and the Telegraph & Argus. Drew Kendell reports.

THE JOINT scheme, the first of its kind in Britain, centres around a hard-hitting information display which will tour schools, shopping centres and other public venues across the district.

The colourful promotion boards are designed to help the brigade spread its vital message of fire safety - and cut the number of unnecessary injuries and deaths in our homes.

Producing the portable display has been a joint effort between the Telegraph & Argus and the Bradford Central fire station - the county's busiest station.

As well as supporting the service's fire education "roadshow" across Bradford, the boards will also be displayed when officers and appliances visit public events.

Leading Firefighter Peter Lau, one of the officers behind the scheme, said: "The boards look brilliant - they are bold, bright and really help to get our message across. When we are speaking to people about fire safety they will provide an excellent backdrop which will grab their attention and help educate them."

He said the boards would also support the brigade's campaign to carry out free risk assessments at people's homes.

He said: "We will visit anyone's home who contacts us and make a risk assessment of the property. We can then provide free advice on minimising the chance of a fire occurring there."

The boards will also be used by the district's other stations and if successful, the partnership could be emulated in other towns and cities across the county.

Bradford Fire Station's Assistant Divisional Officer Brian Robson said: "The Telegraph & Argus is well read and regarded in Bradford and so who better to help get this vital message into the city's households."

Telegraph & Argus Editor Perry Austin-Clarke said: "We are very proud to be backing such an important - and potentially life-saving - initiative. We hope the new display board will be a powerful tool in the drive to get the fire safety message across."

West Yorkshire Chief Fire Officer Phil Toase added: "We are very glad of the partnership forged between ourselves and the Telegraph & Argus. The message of fire prevention is a hugely important one and we felt that the T&A was the ideal way to get this across to the local community. Of course, our own ability for creating publicity is limited and the campaign could not have worked without the partnership. The fact that the T&A is on board is great news for this campaign."

'There is a way to cut out this waste of lives'

The Chief Fire Officer of West Yorkshire has sounded his intention to wipe out preventable fire deaths across the county.

While Phil Toase conceded that some fatalities, such as arson-related murders and suicides were inevitable, accidental domestic fires could be eradicated altogether.

CFO Toase, left, said the key to achieving his target was teaching the public fundamental fire safety. He said the education offensive was already producing startling results and praised his staff for the efforts they had made.

"My target is to have a situation where we have no fire deaths in West Yorkshire which could have been avoided," said CFO Toase.

And he added: "We can totally eradicate preventable fire deaths, particularly in domestic properties. If there is anywhere someone should be safe then it is their own home."

He said: "I definitely think this is achievable but it will take a great deal of continuous commitment to community fire safety."

The district's firefighters came in for warm praise as he said: "As there has been a great move towards fire prevention through education, I recognise and acknowledge the huge amount of work put in by firefighters. They have had to be adaptable, to have learned new skills, and they have embraced this fully."

Officers who had "joined the force to fight fires" were having to become multi-skilled in order to educate the public - a task they had carried out "spiritedly and professionally", said CFO Toase. The campaign had been spearheaded by talks and displays to the public as well as free fire risk assessment visits to people's homes.

But he voiced concern about the brigade becoming a "victim of its own success" over funding. Because much of the brigade's backing is dependent on the amount of fires it attends, the campaign of prevention would inevitably lead to less call-outs and reduced resources.

He said: "There is a perversity in the funding mechanism which is a great concern to me. I fully believe in our strategy of reducing fires and the number of call-outs as this will cut deaths and injuries.

"But in the same breath, that same strategy is costing us money through the Standard Spending Assessment."

CFO Toase is one of a party of Chief Fire Officers from around the country who will be talking to Government Minister Mike O'Brien about the subject today (Monday).

He said although the Government had recognised the problem, even if it supported a change in funding policy, it would not come about until at least 2002.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.