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The Arson & Incident Reduction Team (A&IR Team) has a wide-ranging sphere of activity and is
responsible for reducing the number of all Operational incidents, including Arson, throughout East Sussex.
The Team is supported by, amongst others; the East Sussex and Brighton & Hove Crime and Disorder
Partnership Forum, the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and the Arson Control Forum.
The A&IR Team members are: -
Firesetter Intervention Scheme Advisor & Fire Investigation Dog Handler - Watch Manager
Sarah Jones
Information & Administration Co-ordinator - Ginny Bishop
Road Safety Co-ordinator - Charisse Goddard
Arson & Incident Reduction Officer - Watch Manager Sean Murphy
A&IR Team Manager – Station Manager Phillip Blakemore
The team operates in-line with the following fundamental principles and activities…
Education - Prevention - Investigation / Detection.
Education.
Arson & Incident Reduction information is included in the Fire Safety Education Team's talks to
schools (primary and secondary).
The A&IR Team attends community and multi-agency public events. An example is the Eastbourne
999 weekend on the Western Lawns (10th and 11th July 2010).
Education of children who have, or might, offend is managed through the
Firesetter Intervention Scheme and through the Local Intervention for Fire Education (LIFE) Scheme.
Improving East Sussex and Brighton & Hove intervention schemes focussing on 'at risk' youths,
through closer working with partners, to ensure they lead more positive lives.
Education of adults who have been involved in firesetting/arson incidents is managed through the
Firesetter Intervention Scheme
Prevention.
The Arson & Incident Reduction Team are linked in with the 6 Community Safety District Partnerships
developed under the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act.
There is a focus on arson arising from ‘nuisance fires’ that involve rubbish and waste materials,
abandoned vehicles and unoccupied, unsecured premises.
The Arson & Incident Reduction Team identifies types of arson through research and improved data sharing protocols.
Problem profiles and operations will be formulated to reduce incidents, including high visibility campaigns.
The team identifies and reports the most effective way in which police and fire resources can be focused to reduce arson.
The team support high visibility patrols in areas of increased risk.
Crimestoppers Arson Alert boards are deployed at significant arson incidents, requesting information.
Schools in East Sussex are offered Arson Risk Assessment advice and, if required a joint audit inspection can be undertaken where a Crime
Prevention Officer and Fire Officer attend the school premises together. A report is then produced giving further advice on arson prevention.
Self-assessment forms are available here for schools to use to carry out their own audit (Arson Risk Audit Form1 [pdf] /
Arson Risk Audit Form 2 [pdf] / Arson Risk Audit Form 3 [pdf]).
Investigation / Detection.
The Fire Investigation Dog Team attends fires where arson is suspected and is a key part of the Arson & Incident Reduction Team.
At significant or repeated arson incidents, joint investigation is made by Fire Investigation Officers and Police Investigators and Scenes of
Crime Teams, and when required, Forensic Scientists.
The A&IR Team attends all fire death incidents, fires where serious injuries have occurred and major property fires where five or more pumping
appliances are attending.
The Police and existing Fire Investigation Officers are able to seek advice and assistance at scenes, from the Arson & Incident Reduction Team,
where an automatic response would not normally be made.
Improvement of awareness and skills in fire investigation is being made through closer partnership working with the Sussex Police Scenes of
Crime Department and the Forensic Science Service.
Help us to help you and your Community.
If you have any information about arson (deliberate fires) or any other crime please call Crimestoppers free and anonymously on 0800 555 111
or click on the logo to visit their web site.
Initiatives.
Think...Abandoned Vehicles.
Operation Crackdown is an abandoned vehicle removal operation for Sussex, sponsored by East and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Services,
Sussex Police, DVLA and all Local Authorities. It uses Police powers to get abandoned vehicles removed quickly, which reduces the likelihood of
arson and criminal damage as well as making communities safer.
Please click on the link to report an abandoned car: - Sussex Police - Operation Crackdown
Operation Scrap It - Brighton & Hove abandoned and untaxed vehicle enforcement operation.
The A&IR Team continues to participate in this operation to identify untaxed and abandoned vehicles in conjunction with the Local Authority, Police,
DVLA and Trading Standards. This continued operation is significantly reducing opportunity for arson and other vehicle crime as well as visibly
improving the communities within Brighton & Hove.
Leaflets.
Arson Prevention: Farms & the Countryside leaflet
Each year in the UK on average around 1,600 farm buildings and 85,000 areas of grassland are destroyed by fire.
Around 40% of these fires are started deliberately, many as an act of mindless vandalism.
This leaflet includes a checklist of precautions, which can substantially reduce the risk of an attack.
Arson Alert Leaflets
For details of the Crimestoppers service, which you can call anonymously with information about someone deliberately starting fires, please
click here [pdf - 808 KB]
The following leaflets provide a valuable guide to the detection, prevention and risk management of how to reduce the possibility of arson.
They are produced by the Arson Prevention Bureau and available on the Publications section of their web site at
(www.arsonpreventionbureau.org.uk/Publications).
How to Combat Arson in Schools Leaflet.
This guide is addressed primarily at school Governors, Head Teachers; school Premises Managers, LEA’s and Local Authority Risk Managers.
It aims to alert those responsible for school premises to the continuing dangers of arson attacks on schools, and suggests means by which the
potential for such an attack can be reduced. The leaflet covers prevention, detection and protection measures.
Click here [pdf] to view this leaflet on the Arson & Incident Reduction Bureau web site.
Juvenile Fire Setting: How to Reduce the Risk.
The term fire setting is well used by those in the fire industry but perhaps not so well know to most of us. Widely used in the United States and adopted
generally as the accepted term meaning: "people who start deliberate fires". This leaflets covers the types of fire setters, reducing the risk and where
to go for help. Click here [pdf] to view this leaflet on the Arson & Incident Reduction Bureau web site.
Car Fires: The Growing Problem and How To Help Extinguish It.
Every year in the UK around 102,000 road vehicles (or about 280 every single day) go up in flames and over 58 people die as a result.
This leaflet includes a checklist of precautions to take to protect your car. Click here [pdf] to view this leaflet on the Arson & Incident Reduction
Bureau web site.
Arson Alert for Shops and Stores.
The biggest fire risk in shops and stores is from fires begun deliberately. Arson is an ever-present threat but one which you as a shop owner or
store manager can do much to control. This leaflet includes 23 ways to stop your business becoming an arson statistic. Click here [pdf] to view this
leaflet on the Arson & Incident Reduction Bureau web site.
Arson: The Major Fire Threat to Places of Worship.
Most of the fires in churches are begun deliberately. This leaflets covers risk assessment, security and good housekeeping. Click here [pdf] to view
this leaflet on the Arson & Incident Reduction Bureau web site.
Strategy.
Reducing Anti-Social Deliberate Fires Strategy 2007-10 [pdf 916 KB].
This strategy was launched in October & November 2007 at three free seminars in the Hastings & Rother, Brighton & Hove City and Eastbourne,
Lewes and Wealden areas by promoting the aims of the strategy and partnership working with those who have been affected by arson attacks.
For further information contact Ginny Bishop at the Arson & Incident Reduction Team ESFRS HQ 01323 462814 email virginia.bishop@esfrs.org
Contact.
If you require further advice or information from the Arson & Incident Reduction Team please contact us by email: - art@esfrs.org
Or write to the team at: -
East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service,
Arson & Incident Reduction Team, HQ,
20 Upperton Road, Eastbourne,
East Sussex, BN21 1EU. 01323 462144
Arson & Incident Reduction Team, HQ,
20 Upperton Road, Eastbourne,
East Sussex, BN21 1EU. 01323 462144
Facts about East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service
The area covered by East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (East Sussex Fire Authority) incorporates the
County of East Sussex (pop 508,274) and the City of Brighton & Hove (approx pop 250,000). Our community
is growing and encompasses a diverse range of people and groups each with differing needs, providing us
with a broad range of opportunities and challenges when working both for and with the community.
The East Sussex area is divided into 5 local authority areas. From west to east they are Lewes; Wealden;
Eastbourne; Rother and Hastings. Each has a different sense of place, culture, demographic and
geographic characteristics. We have five separate Borough Plans covering the East Sussex area
(The City has its own Plan) to ensure cohesive service planning and development, including working with
the respective area local partnership groups, local authorities and local community groups.
County of East Sussex (pop 508,274) and the City of Brighton & Hove (approx pop 250,000). Our community
is growing and encompasses a diverse range of people and groups each with differing needs, providing us
with a broad range of opportunities and challenges when working both for and with the community.
The East Sussex area is divided into 5 local authority areas. From west to east they are Lewes; Wealden;
Eastbourne; Rother and Hastings. Each has a different sense of place, culture, demographic and
geographic characteristics. We have five separate Borough Plans covering the East Sussex area
(The City has its own Plan) to ensure cohesive service planning and development, including working with
the respective area local partnership groups, local authorities and local community groups.
Facts about the City of Brighton & Hove
The City of Brighton & Hove, with a resident population of over 250,000, has developed from a small fishing
village located where the South Downs meets the sea and the broad coastal plain begins. Development,
initially supported by tourism, has grown westwards and northwards until it has been constrained by other
Boundaries.
Demography
Over 70% of our population lives along our coastline, with the remaining 30% distributed in small rural towns
and villages northwards to the Surrey and Kent boundaries. There are also differences in population patterns
including such issues as age profiles, gender and patterns of social deprivation.
village located where the South Downs meets the sea and the broad coastal plain begins. Development,
initially supported by tourism, has grown westwards and northwards until it has been constrained by other
Boundaries.
Demography
Over 70% of our population lives along our coastline, with the remaining 30% distributed in small rural towns
and villages northwards to the Surrey and Kent boundaries. There are also differences in population patterns
including such issues as age profiles, gender and patterns of social deprivation.
Risks of fires, death & injury
Our community risk information, accumulated over several years, shows that it is generally the elderly,
living alone without effective fire prevention systems in their home, who present the greatest risk of death
and injury from fire. Those in rural areas are at greatest risk as detection can take longer. It is a sad reality
that approximately 2-4 people each year will die in their homes as a result of a preventable fire – and the
best way of preventing death is via prevention rather than response.
living alone without effective fire prevention systems in their home, who present the greatest risk of death
and injury from fire. Those in rural areas are at greatest risk as detection can take longer. It is a sad reality
that approximately 2-4 people each year will die in their homes as a result of a preventable fire – and the
best way of preventing death is via prevention rather than response.
Risks of road traffic collisions in our area
Our area is not best served by motorways or dual carriageways. Most of our traffic is confined to single
carriageways networked across our county. In terms of total road traffic collisions attended, there are
higher numbers in our rural areas than in our coastal towns and The City where these also tend to be of
a more serious nature. We undertake a number of road traffic intervention services including ‘Head On’;
‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ and other initiatives managed through Sussex Safer Roads Partnership
carriageways networked across our county. In terms of total road traffic collisions attended, there are
higher numbers in our rural areas than in our coastal towns and The City where these also tend to be of
a more serious nature. We undertake a number of road traffic intervention services including ‘Head On’;
‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ and other initiatives managed through Sussex Safer Roads Partnership
