News Headlines... December 2009
To go straight to any of December's news click on the links below.
Queen Honours CFO | Cows Rescued from Slurry Pit | Paraglider Rescue | Wheat Bags Safety Plea | New Water Rescue Teams | Car in Collision with House | Bedroom fire in Upton | Hereford Traffic Collision | Man Released from Vehicle | Fire Authority | Woman Rescue Warehouse Fire |
Queen Honours Chief Fire Officer 
Hereford Worcester Fire and Rescue Service's
Chief Fire Officer Paul Hayden has been given the Queen’s Fire Service Medal in the New Year Honours List.
CFO Hayden, who has held the position in Hereford and Worcester since 2005, receives the award in recognition of his distinguished service.
To read more click here.
Three Cows Rescued from Slurry Pit
Three cows that were stuck inside a deep slurry pit were rescued by firefighters.
The crews from Whitchurch Fire Station and the Swift Water Rescue Team from Hereford Fire Station were called to a farm in Sandyway, St Weonards, Herefordshire, at 08.50 this morning (Thursday).
On arrival, they found that three cows were stuck in the slurry pit which was around 7ft deep.
The water rescue team used an inflatable platform to reach the cows and then entered the slurry. They then managed to attach strops (like straps made of webbing) around them. Then with the use of farm machinery they were able to lift the cows out one by one.
A vet was on scene throughout the incident and thought that if the cows had been in the slurry for too much longer they may not have survived. However, each cow was walking after being rescued and the vet was hopeful that they would be okay.
The line rescue team carried out a technically challenging rescue yesterday (Monday 28th December 2009) when a paraglide pilot attempting to fly from the Malvern Hills got himself entangled and stranded near the top of a tree measuring approximately 20 metres in height .
To read more click here.
Wheat Bags Safety Plea. Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to be cautious if they are buying wheat bags as a stocking filler this Christmas, particularly if they are for an elderly friend or relative. Wheat bags, heated in microwave ovens, have for many years been used as a way of bringing warmth and therapeutic pain relief, particularly for aching joints. But if not used properly these bags can be a potential a killer! In mid-December 2009, a Worcestershire resident contacted the Fire Service after a heated wheat bag fell out of bed, landed on the floor and badly scorched the carpet and floorboards. To read more click here.
BBC News - Heat Bag Warning after Fire Death: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/8091940.stm
New Water Rescue Teams for Seven Fire Stations. Seven Fire Stations across Herefordshire and Worcestershire will now have ‘first responder’ water rescue teams to provide additional rescue support during floods. Following the 2007 flooding event, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) carried out a significant piece of work which determined that improvements were necessary to strengthen its response to floods and ensure the safety of its responders. All Firefighters across Herefordshire and Worcestershire are trained in water / flood awareness and have basic equipment to undertake rescues from the bank side. We also have highly trained specialist water / flood rescue teams at Worcester, Hereford and Evesham who are trained and equipped to enter the water if necessary to carry out rescues, either swimming or in specialist rescue boats. To read more click here.
Firefighters were called to an incident in Bromyard after a car was in collision with a house. The incident, which happened at 1.17pm on Tuesday, December 8, was attended by Firefighters from Bromyard Fire Station. One person was released from the vehicle. A structural engineer was also called to the scene.
Six pumps attended a bedroom fire at a property in Link End Road, Corselawn, Upton, on Monday, December 7. On arrival, at just after 7.30am, firefighters found the property was well alight. The fire also spread to the roof space. Four firefighters wore breathing apparatus and used two hose reels to deal with the incident. The stop message was given at 12.31pm and then crews stayed on scene to carry out salvage work.
Two fire crews from Hereford and one from Ross-on-Wye attended a road traffic collision on Monday, December 7. The incident, which happened on the A466 at St Weonards, Hereford, at just after 4pm, involved two vehicles. Nobody was trapped inside the vehicles.
A man was released from a vehicle following a road traffic collision on Birmingham Road, Badsey, Evesham. Two fire crews from Evesham Fire Station attended the incident, which happened at 9.14am on Saturday, December 5. The male casualty was taken to hospital by ambulance.
Fire Authority “Performing Well”
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority is “performing well” and achieving its main priority – to keep people safe from fire. These findings are published today in the Authority’s organisational assessment which forms part of ‘Oneplace’, the Audit Commission’s new process for examining public services, including how well councils are working together with other public bodies to meet the needs of the people they serve.
To read more click here
Woman Rescued from Hereford House Fire
Firefighters rescued a woman from an upstairs bedroom of her home after a severe fire
took hold.
The incident happened at just after 1am this morning (Friday, December 4) at a property
in Lloyd Street, Hereford.
The woman made the 999 call and a fire control operator stayed on the line, giving her vital safety advice until the Firefighters arrived moments later.
On arrival at the property Firefighters from Hereford Fire Station discovered that someone
had already jumped out of a bedroom window but the woman was still inside.
They quickly pitched a ladder to the window and were able to help her out of the window
and to safety.
The fire had started in a ground floor patio and lean-to area and spread to the house.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no smoke alarms fitted in the property but Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service is urging people today to make sure they have working smoke alarms in their homes as they do provide an early warning and save lives.
Fire Crews Tackle Large Warehouse Fire
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Dozens of families were evacuated from their homes last night following a severe fire at a premises in Worcester.
A fire broke out at the Midlands Power Machinery premises on Orchard Street, at 7.10pm. On arrival Firefighters were faced with a developed fire at an industrial building. The first crews on the scene immediately called for more fire engines to assist at the scene.
Firefighters quickly discovered that gas cylinders were inside the building so they immediately set up a 200 metre exclusion zone, which meant many residential properties were evacuated.
Group Manager Mick Cadman said: “If a cylinder is involved in a fire it can be very unpredictable so we evacuated as a precaution. Our Firefighters worked very quickly and were able to locate and remove the cylinder and this reduced the likelihood of explosion.
“The residents were allowed to return to their premises at around 11pm and we would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.”
During the course of the fire some nearby properties lost electricity and gas supplies. The gas supply has been restored and the electricity teams were working through the night to restore power.
At the height of the incident 12 pumps, two water tenders and an aerial appliance were in attendance. The Service’s new Compressed Air Foam appliance was also in attendance and was able to quickly and efficiently smother the fire with foam.
Fire crews have been scaled down but are still on site to ensure the premises is safe and that all ‘hot spots’ have been extinguished.
A fire investigation into the cause of the fire is now underway.
BBC Hereford & Worcester - Worcester News
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