Thursday 3 June 2010
10.00hrs
Firefighters from Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS)
have been spreading the safety message to young people living in
the Chew Valley area.
Youngsters from Pensford Primary School were keen to share their
fire safety knowledge during an afternoon with Crew Manager Richard
Cole and Firefighter Nigel Penney from Chew Magna Fire Station and
Station Manager Stuart Matthews.
The three took over the school’s hall to deliver a fire safety
presentation to around 40 pupils, encouraging them to talk about
fire hazards in the home, escape plans and smoke detectors.
A group of teenagers from Chew Magna also received advice from
their local firefighters when members of local youth group The Shed
paid a visit to Chew Magna Fire Station.
The Shed youth group was set up six years ago in a bid to
provide somewhere for teenagers from the valley to meet up. It is
open to anyone from year 7 onwards and meets every Sunday during
term time in Chew Magna Baptist Chapel between 7pm and 9pm.
As part of AF&RS’s road safety presentation ‘Arrive Alive’,
firefighters from Bedminster Red Watch carried out a road traffic
collision (RTC) rescue demonstration while firefighters from Chew
Magna talked to the group about the consequences of careless
driving.
The group then took up the offer to try their hand at
firefighting, getting to grips with a hose reel.
Dr Wendy Morris, who set up The Shed, said: “The children really
enjoyed their fire station visit. They had great fun playing with
the water hoses, were completely enthralled by the demonstration of
cutting a person out of a car crash and the real life case studies
provided them with some really moving and powerful messages about
road safety and safe driving. We’d like to thank the fire service
for a fantastic visit.”
Links with the local group and school were formed following a
recent Chew Valley PACT (Police and Communities Together) meeting
said SM Stuart Matthews.
Stuart added: “The group were aware of our various educational
packages and asked if we could put them to use as part of longer
term work to engage with the young people living in the Chew Valley
area.
“The firefighters at Chew Magna were happy to help.”
For more information on The Shed youth group contact Wendy
Morris on 01275 332756.