Arson

Incidents of non-accidental fires are often focused on specific areas within the local community, which have considerable social, economical challenges and crime and disorder related issues.

‘Safer Hart’ and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service held an arson seminar in 2003, which local schools and businesses attended, to work together with partnership members to reduce cases of arson on their premises. This is an exercise which will be repeated due to its success.

Since the implementation of the last Community Safety Strategy 2001 – 2004, partnership working has;

• Reduced cases of arson by 100% in one of the more deprived areas of the district
• Developed targeted hot spotting – focusing on local trends / fire related issues

FREE… A Home Fire Safety Check carried out by Fire Service Staff.

Call us to book an appointment to have your home checked on:

023 8062 6809

Where necessary we will supply and fit 10 year smoke alarms and give information on a suitable escape plan for your home.

www.hantsfire.gov.uk

Results from the 2004 Crime Audit

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has been extremely helpful through the course of the audit, in providing the Audit Team with detailed information relating to non-accidental fires and have also included hot spot analysis. The graph below shows trends in accidental and non-accidental fires year on year. It highlights a dip in non-accidental fires in 2002/03 and then an increase in both types of fire in 2003/04.

The graph below shows a breakdown of accidental and non-accidental fires in Fleet, Hartley Wintney, Odiham and Yateley during 2003/04.

Project work has been conducted by the Community Safety Team and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service to reduce arson in specific areas. The work has led to a reduction in arson on one estate in Blackwater by 100%

In terms of hoax calls to the fire service, there were 12 hoax calls made in 2003/04, which is an extremely low number compared with national figures. This is most likely attributable to the extensive work the local fire service have done to educate young people about the dangers of hoax calls.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service “Making Hampshire Safer”

Support Services

• Child Bereavement Trust 01494 446648
• Compassionate Friends 08451 232304
• Cruse 020 8939 9530
• ‘Safer Hart’ Community Safety Partnership 01252 774476
• Hart Voluntary Action 01252 815652
• Lions Community Store (Furniture for those in need) 01252 616998
• Victim Support 01252 342777