Fire Service Award - Leigh-on-Sea

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Leigh On Sea News: Fire Service Award – ESSEX County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) has been recognised with a top award at the prestigious National Fire Chiefs Council awards

Fire Service Award - ESSEX County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) has been recognised with a top award at the prestigious National Fire Chiefs Council awards

Leigh On Sea News: Fire Service Award – ESSEX County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) has been recognised with a top award at the prestigious National Fire Chiefs Council awards, held on Thursday 14 November, for its remarkable partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST).

ECFRS was recognised for the Community Wellbeing Officer project, an innovative collaboration with EEAST and fire services in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Essex. This project, launched in Essex in December 2023, was developed to improve response times for the Ambulance Services, while enhancing the safety of vulnerable members of the community.

The fire service’s Water Safety Team was also nominated as a runner-up for the Water Safety award, highlighting their ongoing commitment to reducing accidental drownings in Essex.

The Community Wellbeing Officer initiative has introduced four dedicated officers across Essex, who respond swiftly to non-injury falls at home. Without this service, residents who fall without sustaining injuries could face prolonged wait times for an ambulance.

Now, Community Wellbeing Officers are dispatched within an hour of the call, assessing and assisting patients as well as conducting tailored home safety checks. This innovative approach includes ensuring that smoke alarms are working and identifying fire or fall hazards like loose rugs or inadequate handrails, helping residents feel safer and reducing future risks.

Since its launch, the initiative has succeeded in improving response times and identifying previously unknown vulnerable residents in the community.

Andrea MacAlister, Head of Prevention at ECFRS, said: “This award is a testament to the strength of partnership working and the impact it can have on our communities.

“By working closely with the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) and other fire services in the region, we’re able to reach vulnerable residents more quickly and provide them with the support they need to stay safe in their homes.

“The Community Wellbeing Officer project not only reduces response times for EEAST, but also allows us to identify risks and improve safety in ways that simply weren’t possible before. We’re proud of the positive difference this initiative is making across Essex and grateful for the recognition from the National Fire Chiefs Council.”

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