Avon Fire & Rescue Service provides emergency and protection services to the communities of Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It covers an area of 134,753 hectares and a population of about one million.
The service’s main objectives, set by the Government, are to reduce the number of deaths from accidental fires in the home by 20% and the number of deliberate fires by 10%, by 2010 - a figure AF&RS is well on the way to achieving (September 2006). It therefore continually strives to raise awareness of fire safety via community involvement and education initiatives.
Some social groups will respond more favourably to the educational messages if delivered via the latest media platforms such as the web and mobile devices. AF&RS’s new Internet TV site, FireTV, is expected to become a key method for the service to connect with technology friendly audiences of all ages. FireTV, which can be found at www.firetv.org.uk, is a fun, visual and interactive site that provides the viewer with a number of zones to explore.
From learning more about the service and life as a firefighter to recruitment and safety films, FireTV appeals to a wide range of people. Not only this, but similar to other popular film websites, visitors will be able to upload their own films as part of on-going competitions run on the site - with issues such as the danger of hoax calls and anti-social behaviour to firefighters being explored by the very people who may be involved. The ‘Live’ zone of FireTV also provides the facility to air ‘Warn and Inform’ messages to the public, and live incident footage, if a major incident were to happen.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Jerry O’Brien said: “Digital media is becoming ever more important when it comes to reaching teenagers, one of our key targets, and we believe FireTV will be crucial in educating young people about issues such as the dangers of hoax calls and dangerous driving.
At present FireTV is Avon based, but it is hoped that fire and rescue services across the country will link up and partner Avon to provide a national FireTV to the UK public.
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