Improving public safety by working in partnership

Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell had the pleasure of presenting certificates of appreciation to two partnerships that have been established with Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service. The certificates were awarded to Bourne Leisure Group and Yarlington Housing Group celebrating the positive outcomes that have been achieved.

Bourne Leisure Group were commended for their on-going commitment to improve Fire Safety for their employees and their guests. Yarlington were commended for installing four Domestic Sprinkler Systems in some of the properties of their most vulnerable residents.

Lee Howell said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the partnership we have with Bourne Leisure and Yarlington, it is certainly going to allow us to improve public safety for those most at risk. It also shows a commitment between industry and the fire and rescue service, working in partnership to deliver improved outcomes for the public. The commitment is inspiring and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with both organisations.“

Bourne Leisure Group
Bourne Leisure is one of the largest providers of holidays in the UK employing 15,000 team members. The Haven, Butlins and Warner Hotels brands are amongst the most recognised in the UK holiday market.

Trevor Bateman, Head of Safety Services said: “I feel a bit blown away actually… it was really nice to see such senior members of the Fire Service here today. They are clearly so passionate about what they do. You can see their dedication and that they want to support and work with us. We are really keen on this partnership and I can see nothing but benefit for both parties.” 
This year Bourne Leisure have entered into a single partnership agreement with Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service to improve fire safety standards across their business nationwide.

By working closely with Bourne Leisure it is anticipated that the frequency of fire safety inspections will reduce, bringing about a joint benefit to both organisations. As the project is nationwide the service will be communicating with other Fire and Rescue Authorities across the country. This will enable further efficiencies and cost reductions for both Bourne Leisure and the National Fire & Rescue Service as a whole.

Yarlington Housing Group
Yarlington is a local housing charity and one of the leading affordable housing providers in Somerset. They employ over 300 people in a diverse range of activities, including apprentices in both Corporate and Maintenance roles.

Tim Bruce Head of Asset Management for Yarlington said: “This is a real encouragement to the asset management team within Yarlington and confirmation that the approach we are taking is the right one. We are very grateful for the relationship we have with Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, as it is a partnership we can help each other with. Together we can protect our residents and our community, which is what it’s all about.”  
The company were commended for improving community safety for their employees, their tenants and the wider community. Working together has shown that improving safety awareness and reducing emergency incidents can be achieved.

Yarlington supplied a list of four properties in their portfolio where it was thought the most vulnerable tenants would benefit from an installation of a domestic sprinkler system.

This project supports the fire services campaign to inform, educate and promote the installation of domestic sprinklers in social housing schemes where the most vulnerable persons are housed.

The future
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service look forward to building upon both relationships in the future to everyone’s mutual advantage as well as the wider community.

Chairman of the Fire Authority, Mark Healey said: “I’m really impressed to see people coming together to improve Fire Safety. Well done to Yarlington Homes for taking the initiative and starting to put sprinklers into their properties. It’s smart partnership working as they picked homes in vulnerable people living in rural locations.

“Well done to Bourne Leisure as well, they are very pro-active in fire safety nationwide. I was very interested to hear about their take on Carbon Monoxide so we look forward to doing some collaborative work in the near future. So a really exceptional day for the Fire Service and fire safety in general.”