Accessibility

Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS) is committed to making its services accessible to all. We want as many people as possible to have access to this website and the important safety information found here.

In order to ensure the accessibility of our website AF&RS has worked closely with Shaw Trust a leader in the field of website accessibility.

We have become the first fire service in the country to receive their  'Accessible Plus' accreditation.

Shaw Trust's team of website testers provided a thorough and highly effective testing process as they have a range of disabilities themselves, the team also provided invaluable and hands-on advice throughout the project. This has helped us make sure that our website is accessible in real terms.

The website will be retested annually to ensure that it continues to meet these high accessibility standards and any new content and developments will meet stringent guidelines.

The Accessible Plus accreditation means that the website meets the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C’s) Website Content Accessibility Guidelines to Level Double A and some Level Triple A criteria.

Please let us know what you think of the website by filling in the online website feedback form.

You can read the AF&RS Website Accessibility Policy Summary at the bottom of this page.

Accessibility functions on this website

Access keys

If you have difficulties using a mouse you can navigate this website using certain keyboard shortcuts.
To use access keys press and hold 'Alt', select the letter/number of the access key you wish to navigate to from the list below and then press the return button. You will then be taken to the page you need.

S - Skip navigation
1 - Homepage
2 - News
3 - Sitemap
4 - Advanced search
5 - Recruitment
6 - Useful links
7 - Fire safety information
8 - Your local station
9 - Contact us  

Other accessibility tools

This website has been redeveloped with accessibility as a focus.
During development the technical side of the site has been tested to ensure it is accessible. Content added has to meet accessibility guidelines such as Plain English and correctly signposted hyperlinks.
On top of these measures there are also tools that can help make the site more accessible.

In the top tool bar of this website you can find accessibility tools that allow you to increase font size, change the colour contrast of the site, skip to the main content of a page, listen to the site, or watch fire safety information videos in British Sign Language.

Viewing the site

You can change the font size on this site by selecting the icon in the top accessibility tool bar, you can also change the text size for all web sites that you visit using your browser settings. The way to do this is slightly different depending on the browser that you use:

  • Internet Explorer 7: Select the 'Page' menu, then one of the options under 'Text Size'. The default setting is Medium
  • Internet Explorer 6: Select the 'View' menu, and select one of the options under 'Text Size'.
  • Mozilla Firefox: Select the 'View' menu, then 'Text Size', then select Increase, Decrease or Normal.
  • Opera: Select the 'View' menu, then one of the 'Zoom' percentage options.
  • Netscape: Select the 'View' menu, then one of the 'Text Zoom' options.

Further help

The BBC and 'AbilityNet', a leading UK disability and IT charity, have produced the useful site 'My Web My Way'. This site is packed with information on how you can change your browser, computer, mouse and keyboard settings to make the web more accessible.


AF&RS Website Accessibility Policy Summary

‘Avon Fire & Rescue Service (AF&RS) is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website for all users. New and updated web content produced by AF&RS will conform to the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, at least conformance level Double-A. Existing web content produced in-house, and new content produced by third party suppliers, will meet the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, to at least conformance level Double-A. The website has been tested and accredited to ‘Accessible Plus’ standard by Shaw Trust (www.shaw-trust.org.uk). To maintain Shaw Trust accreditation, the website will be tested annually and all content added between tests will be checked in-house in order to maintain the accessibility of the site.’

More information about W3C and their Website Accessibility Initiatives can be found on the W3C website

If you would like to contact us about accessibility please email web@avonfire.gov.uk or see the various other ways of contacting us.

Incidents of note

Escape Routes
Escape Routes
If there was a fire would you and your family know how to get out? The best way out of your home is the way you regularly come in, but make sure you have other escape routes in case it is blocked. Make sure escape routes are clear of obstacles.