County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS), Durham Constabulary, Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council are joining together to tackle the trend of deliberate fires during the Easter school holidays, when traditionally CDDFRS see a spike in deliberate fires Countywide.
Durham’s East Coast in particular sees the highest increase, with deliberate fires set to rubbish, scrub and grasslands as well as back alleys, damaging our local environmental resources, and harming our communities.
The campaign will push arson reduction messages on social media platforms in a bid to reduce the number of incidents and educate those that may consider setting these deliberate fires.
These messages will encourage parents to talk to their children and young people about the dangers deliberate fires can have on not only the community, but also themselves. It will also remind residents and businesses that arson is usually an opportunistic crime, and they can take action to help reduce these incidents.
Lee Aspery, Arson Reduction Manager for CDDFRS has said: “Arson damages communities, it damages property but, above all, it puts people’s lives at risk. Our communities shouldn’t have to put up with that, which is why we are doing everything we can to deal with deliberate setting of fires and keep people safe.”
“Our fire crews visit their local schools in the lead up to Easter each year to talk to young people about the dangers of arson and teach them about the consequences not only to themselves, but their communities and the emergency services that respond to deliberate fires.
“We would appeal to residents and businesses, that it’s time for action, and they can help prevent arson by ensuring waste is disposed of correctly and that wheelie bins are not left in public places longer than is necessary. If residents see anyone they believe to be behaving antisocially, to report it to local police”.
“We want to harness the strong community spirit in these areas and let residents know we are here to work with them to tackle the causes of deliberate fires, to protect their local spaces and the diverse environment within County Durham and Darlington.”
Inspector Phil Carter, of Durham Constabulary, said: “Setting a fire deliberately is never acceptable and something we take incredibly seriously.
“When young people commit such a reckless act, it not only puts lives at risk but ruins their future too when they end up with a criminal record.
“That’s why we continue to work closely with our partners at County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service to educate young people around the dangers.
“We want young people to enjoy themselves during the Easter holidays, but anyone found to be setting a deliberate fire will be dealt with robustly.”
Cllr John Shuttleworth, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for community safety and chairman of the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “Deliberate fires not only have a negative impact on the communities in which this anti-social behaviour is carried out, but they can quickly become out of control and cause damage to buildings, the natural environment, and pose a serious risk to people’s lives.
“We are encouraging communities to report any suspicious activity to the police and relevant authorities. We are also asking parents to be aware of where their children are and what they are doing, as well as having conversations with them about the dangers of fires.”
Graham Hall, Darlington Borough Council’s Head of Community Safety, said: “We work closely with the fire and rescue service, police and other partners to combat all types of antisocial behaviour.
“Sadly, we often see a spike in deliberate fires during school holidays and we fully support this campaign which aims to tackle it and, hopefully, reduce the number of incidents.
“We would urge residents and businesses to play their part, by ensuring they bring their bins in as soon as possible after they have been emptied and report any incidents of antisocial behaviour to police or our civic enforcement team either online at www.darlington.gov.uk/reportit or by calling 01325 406999.”
