Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is continuing its support for the UK’s Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness week, running from Monday, 30 June to Sunday, 6 July.
The campaign is designed to bring together people and organisations from across the country in order to take a stand against anti-social behaviour and make communities safer.
Liz Warren, Lead Safeguarding and Safety Education Manager at RBFRS says, “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home and neighbourhood, but this unfortunately isn’t always the case.
“Research has shown that, while 1 in 4 of us say that anti-social behaviour has made us feel unsafe where we live, at least half of us do not report it.
“Remember, your actions matter. Your report could initiate an intervention, help the victim get support, and prevent escalation towards a harmful incident. Anti-social behaviour isn’t a single victim crime; its effects are felt by entire communities.
“If you are in any doubt regarding issues in your area, call 999 for emergencies or 101 for non-emergencies. Together, we can put a stop to anti-social behaviour.”
Arson
The main areas which affect the fire and rescue service are violence perpetrated against members of staff, nuisance/malicious calls, and arson. Home Office data shows that deliberate fires represent the largest proportion of fires attended by UK fire and rescue services.
Arsonists rarely bring combustible items with them, instead choosing to use what is available on the site. Therefore, you can have a significant impact in reducing the risk of deliberate fire setting on your property.
To help reduce the risk of arson, ensure that you follow this advice:
- Clean premises regularly so that refuse does not build up, and do not overfill bins, so that they can be securely shut. For communal bin stores, keep doors shut and follow appropriate property management instructions.
- Fires can easily spread from trees to buildings. Keep trees pruned to reduce risk, as well as removing any debris and litter from under and around trees and shrubs. This is particularly key during the summer months, where greenery will be drier and so more susceptible to catching aflame.
- Review the safeguards advised to help reduce the risk of arson to your buildings by using our Arson Prevention Workplace Checklist.
Deliberate fire setting particularly poses a significant risk to the economy, with 80% of businesses never fully recovering from a deliberate fire.
Preventing arson also forms part of our responsibilities under the Serious Violence Duty. The Serious Violence Duty (SVD) was introduced by the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and came into effect on 31 January 2023.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has created a NFCC Serious Violence Duty Briefing Note which sets out the duties for all fire and rescue service employees:
“The Duty requires Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs), police, justice agencies, health, education, and local authorities to collaborate and plan together to reduce and prevent serious violence in their local areas”.
Fire Service Action
RBFRS has a FireSafe programme, which involves the delivery of one-to-one sessions for young people to explore fire setting behaviour.
The programme comprises a blend of educational content and site visits designed to foster critical thinking. It is facilitated by members of the Safety Education Team, who have extensive experience working with children and young people of diverse ages and abilities.
This effort aims to make young people aware of the impact of their behaviour through discussion and activities to give them the opportunity to explore different ways of dealing with the root cause of fire-related anti-social behaviour.
If you have any information about anti-social behaviour in your area, including arson and deliberate fire setting, call:
- 999 in an emergency.
- 101 for a non-emergency.
- Or, to report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Should you have any concerns about a child or young person having an unhealthy interest in fire setting behaviour, then please email the Safety Education Team at safe@rbfrs.co.uk.
If you are the victim of a direct arson attack, please call 999 and request fire appliances to attend the address. If you have received a threat of arson or believe you are at risk of arson, then please email our Safeguarding Team at safeguarding@rbfrs.co.uk during office hours 9-5.
We will then happily attend your property to carry out a ‘Threat of Arson Safe and Well Visit’, where we will provide free safety equipment and advice on how to keep safe.
For further information and safety advice concerning deliberate fires and arson, visit our website:
Preventing Deliberate Fires | Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service