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High Wycombe-based Chiltern International Fire (CIF) has set fire to a living room, as you would expect to find it in the festive season complete with Christmas tree and decorations, in its compartment fire behaviour training unit. The demonstration was key to helping Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS) deliver important safety messages to the general public.
As CIF Head of Section, Fire Behaviour Philip Howard explained, ‘Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service regularly use our training facility, so know that we can provide the perfect venue to set up a real life fire scenario. We were pleased to help them with their ‘Enjoy Christmas safely’ campaign by stage-managing the fire free of charge. As we always use real fire within the training facility, the burn was completely authentic as it is for training exercises.’
A re-creation of the burnt out living room will form part of a community safety initiative in the centre of High Wycombe in the run up to Christmas. Visitors will first view the festive scene before the fire and will then go behind a screen to see the fire-ravaged and smoke-damaged room, with a video film of the fire, taken by CIF during the burn, showing how the fire started and developed.
Jo Oliver, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service Community Safety Partnership Manager for the Wycombe District, explained, ‘The shocking contrast before and after the fire will, we hope, bring home key safety messages. We will be promoting smoke alarms as well as underlining preventive measures.’ The exhibition was designed by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service in partnership with The Chiltern Centre.
The Christmas scene will open on 19th November at 5pm when High Wycombe’s Christmas lights will be officially switched on by a local celebrity. It will be open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until Christmas. Jo Oliver said, ‘We greatly appreciate the support Chiltern International Fire as a local company are giving to this community initiative. There will be lots of fun with gifts and prizes, but we hope that the more serious messages we have to give will leave a strong impression too.’
For further information on Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service please call 01494 744445 or email cteam@bucksfire.gov.uk.
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