The Arson Reduction Campaign, ‘Talk, Teach, Time,’ aimed at tackling the trend of deliberate fires has been relaunched today by County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS), in the lead up to the Easter holidays, when traditionally they see a spike in deliberate fires.
Durham’s east coast along with certain areas of Darlington have seen an increase of arson over the past few years, with deliberate fires set in rubbish and grasslands as well as back alleys, damaging our local environmental resources, and harming our communities.
The campaign will push arson reduction messages on their social media platforms in a bid to reduce the number of incidents and educate those that may consider setting these deliberate fires as to the seriousness of their actions and the potential harm they can inflict on their own communities.
The main aim is to raise the awareness of the importance of ‘Talk, Teach, Time.’
Talk, do you know where your children and young people are?
Teach, do your children and young people know the dangers deliberate fires can have on not only the community but also the fact they could be putting themselves in harm’s way.
Finally, time. Time for action.
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.”
“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.”
“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.”
Councillor Jonathan Dulston, deputy leader of Darlington Borough Council, said: “We work closely with our partners to tackle anti-social behaviour in all its forms and are delighted to support the fire service’s latest arson reduction campaign.
“This type of anti-social behaviour can cause significant harm and damage to property and we would urge people to report any incidents to allow the council and police to respond early and take appropriate action.”
Neighbourhood Policing Chief Inspector Emma Kay said: “Deliberate fires harm our communities and have serious impacts for victims and consequences for those involved.
“We work alongside our partners, including schools, to ensure that young people are aware of the dangers of fires and being involved which is why we fully support the The Talk Teach Time campaign.
“I would encourage residents to report any fires to Firestoppers or any suspicious activity to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “Deliberately setting things on fire can put people in real danger and risks lives. As well as being a needless drain on resources, arson can harm our communities, damage our environment and cause pollution.
“It is also a criminal offence and we would encourage anyone with information about any incident of arson to report it to the emergency services, including FireStoppers on 0800 169 5558 to which calls can be made anonymously.”
