Harrogate fire station has urged people to ensure they have working smoke alarms after attending a fire this morning.
Fire ripped through the roof of a bungalow but fortunately nobody was hurt because the alarm sounded.
The incident took place at 2am in York and the aerial ladder from Harrogate was required to help firefighters from York and Huntington tackle the flames.
An investigation is underway.
Harrogate fire station said the blaze, at a time when most people are sleeping, served as a warning to everyone to check their smoke alarms.
It said in a Facebook post:
“In the early hours of today, we were at a house fire. Luckily the occupants had working smoke alarms and got out safely.
“Please make sure yours work if you have them and if not you can contact you local fire station to see about getting some fitted.”
Smoke alarms are free. You can book for them to be installed here.
Read more:
- Harrogate firefighters rescue dogs from hot car
- Leon set to confirm Harrogate opening date for early July
Fire warning to farmers after dung heap spontaneously combusts
Harrogate fire station has urged farmers to check the temperature of baled hay and straw after a fire this week.
Knaresborough and Harrogate firefighters used breathing apparatus to tackle a blaze affecting dung heaps and about 70 hay bales at Thorpe Underwood on Wednesday.
There was also a large amount of straw used for bedding in the pile that caught fire.
Harrogate fire station said in a social media post that its thermal imaging camera identified hot spots at over 500 degrees. It added:
“Piles of straw like this can spontaneously combust. They self-ignite because of heat produced by bacterial fermentation. Once ignition temperature is reached, combustion occurs.”
The thermal imaging camera picks up the hotspots. Pic: Harrogate fire station
Hay spontaneously combusting is a common cause of summer barn fires. They usually occur just after the hay or straw has been baled.
Firefighters urged farmers to monitor the temperature of their hay and straw by using temperature meters, especially after collecting it from fields, and then taking steps to cool it if necessary.
Read more:
- Ripon firefighters save pony stuck in mud
- Harrogate firefighter brands plans to rely on one fire engine ‘farcical‘
Harrogate firefighter brands plans to rely on one fire engine ‘farcical’
A Harrogate firefighter has spoken out against proposals to cut the number of overnight fire engines in the town.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Office held a roadshow in Harrogate town centre yesterday to discuss its new three-year plan for the county’s fire service.
Its proposals include reducing the number of fire engines stationed in Harrogate overnight from two to one.
The plans would also see the station lose its tactical response vehicle, which would be moved to an on-call station elsewhere in the county.
The Stray Ferret went along to yesterday’s roadshow, which was not attended by Zoe Metcalfe, the police, fire and crime commissioner.
We spoke to Harrogate resident and firefighter of 16 years, Steve Applewood, who described the plans as “ridiculous” and a matter of huge concern.
He said a large fire or a fire that puts lives at risk required two water pumps and therefore two fire engines.
Harrogate Fire Station on Skipton Road.
If only one was available at night, Harrogate firefighters would have to wait 10 minutes for a crew to arrive from Knaresborough, he added.
“A 10-minute wait at a house fire is a long time. It also doesn’t give your first breathing apparatus crew a back-up team so in 10 minutes they could have worn down their air supply but with the delay on the second unit there isn’t another crew to take over straight away.
“Or sometimes, tactically, we send two teams in two directions and we wouldn’t have that option straight away.”
Changes are ‘farcical’
Currently one emergency fire engine and a tactical response unit operate in Harrogate overnight, which Mr Appleword accepted did not guarantee two crews with breathing apparatus. But he said the driver of the tactical response unit could become another member of the breathing apparatus crew if necessary.
He said colleagues thought the proposed changes were “farcical” adding:
“I’m against most of them, I think it’s ridiculous they’re looking at cutting the cover in Harrogate by 50%. It’s a real concern for us, a 10-minute wait could be the difference between life and death.”
Read more:
- Councillors raise concern over Harrogate fire station cuts
- Ripon firefighters save pony stuck in mud
Currently, 10 crew members cover each shift in Harrogate and Mr Appleyard said the amount of new housing being built in the town was an added factor to consider with any planned reduction in service.
Councillors and a firefighter’s union have raised their concerns in recent weeks.
Tom Thorp, deputy monitoring officer for the commissioner’s office, who spoke to people at yesterday’s event, told us:
“It’s been a mix [of opinions], people can see the sense in some of it and for others it’s a concern. For us it’s about explaining the proposals and getting people’s opinions.”
Staff from the commissioner’s office will be holding pop-up roadshows across the county over the next nine weeks, returning to Harrogate on July 19.
People are encouraged to complete a survey on the proposals and share their views.
Focus on preventing fires
Ms Metcalfe has previously said her proposals focus on preventing fires.
Councillors raise concern over Harrogate fire station cuts“The role of a fire and rescue service has changed and continues to change, with only 26% of our incidents last year relating to a fire emergency.
“We want to ensure we are addressing our current and future challenges and that we have the capacity to prevent and protect to stop incidents happening in the first place and prevent harm before it can take place, while also having the capacity to respond to emergencies when they do take place. We are confident these proposals would do that.
“Inevitably, there are some areas where the setup of the service would change but I’m confident the right people, right equipment and the right support would continue to be available to everyone.”
Councillors have raised concerns over plans to cut the number of fire engines at Harrogate fire station.
North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, has suggested operating just one fire engine at night as opposed to the current two.
Members of the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee discussed the proposals, which were unveiled as part of a consultation into changes at the fire service.
The station would continue to be resourced with two fire engines during the day but it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am, when fewer incidents usually occur.
The move would also see the station lose its tactical response vehicle, which would be moved to an on-call station elsewhere in the county, and a self-rostering staffing system introduced.
Cllr Robert Windass, who spoke at the constituency committee this morning.
Cllr Robert Windass, who is a former fire fighter, said he welcomed the removal of the tactical response unit which he described as a “total waste of time”.
However, he raised concern over the reduction of crews on a night.
He said:
“My worry is at night time. Night time is when most people die in house fires.
“To have one crew going out, there will be another machine coming from another station. But say it was down at the bottom of Woodfield, the next nearest response vehicle is either going to come from Ripon or from Knaresborough.
“Both of them are part-time, what they call “on-call stations”, where they will get a bleeper going off at home and they would have to go down the fire station before that machine turns a wheel.
“So it’s going to take them quite a few minutes to get to the fire. That concerns me.”
Read More:
- Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service
- Cuts to Harrogate fire crews would ‘put money before lives’, says ex-firefighter
- Fire Brigades Union ‘seriously concerned’ over cuts to Harrogate service
The committee agreed to invite Ms Metcalfe and the chief fire officer to the next meeting to be quizzed by councillors.
Cllr Chris Aldred said the committee had to get it right before it responds to the consultation.
He said:
“It is so important, as Robert has just stated, that we have a second crew.
“Fires may statistically may not happen that often at night, but as Robert has just said, the ones that do lead to deaths.”
The changes are part of Ms Metcalfe’s Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service will deploy its people, equipment and resources.
Fire officials told a meeting last month that the proposals would help to save £1.5 million a year from 2025.
Jonathan Foster, interim chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said that the proposals were about investing in “protection and prevention”.
He said:
Fire Brigades Union ‘seriously concerned’ over cuts to Harrogate service“I stress this very much so, this is about reinvestment back into the on-call duty system to improve overall availability and then also to reinvest in protection and prevention activities so that we can protect the people of North Yorkshire and City of York in a much more effective manner.”
The North Yorkshire branch of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said it’s seriously concerned over proposed cuts to the service in Harrogate and warned public safety will be put at greater risk.
The warning from the FBU comes after the proposals were made public by Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, last month and include halving Harrogate fire station’s overnight capacity.
The station, on Skipton Road, currently operates two fire engines 24 hours a day. But under new plans, it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am when fewer incidents usually occur.
Ms Metcalfe said at the time that she was confident “the right people, right equipment and the right support would continue to be available to everyone”.
Read More:
- Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service
- Cuts to Harrogate fire crews would ‘put money before lives’, says ex-firefighter
A public consultation was launched last month to gather the community’s views on the proposals.
The union is urging firefighters and the public to have their say, and make their concerns heard over the impact the plans will have on emergency fire cover across the region.
North Yorkshire FBU Brigade Secretary Steve Howley said:
Stray Views: Harrogate fire service cuts will cause ‘safety blackspot’“Firefighters urge that the public reject these proposals and call on people to visit the PFCC’s website to strongly oppose all cuts to emergency response. The PFCC needs to fight for the correct funding from government, not simply mask underfunding by slashing services and providing the public of North Yorkshire with a second-rate emergency response service that will put lives at risk.”
“North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has been promising these IRMP proposals for the past two years, and time after time we have been given delays and excuses. For a chief fire officer to table cuts of this magnitude to emergency fire response in York, Harrogate and Scarborough just weeks before retiring is quite frankly appalling.
“We need Zoe Metcalfe to stand up for her communities and reject these proposals rather than put their safety at risk.”
Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Cuts to fire service will cause ‘safety blackspot’
Harrogate with its many large and old hotels has the largest concentration of overnight accommodation in North Yorkshire.
With only one fire engine at the first attendance the crew have little chance of saving lives, let alone commencing to fight a fire.
These large rambling buildings are a tragedy waiting to happen with no turntable ladder at the first attendance. What has happened to the risk determining the attendance to all properties?
The police and fire commissioner and the chief officer can quote their 26% of fires during the night hours but that is when these hotels are most full of guests and also most at risk and quoting 26% as a reason to reduce to one engine at night only means that Harrogate as a conference centre will not cause sensible companies to want to come here. It will become a safety blackspot.
Brian Hicks, Pateley Bridge
Sun Pavilion Grade-II listing welcomed
The Civic Society welcome the addition of the Sun Pavilion and Colonnade and hope that additional funding may become available to restore the colonnade to its former glory – with glazed roofing and windows to the rear to provide a weather proof facility.
Of course, Valley Gardens are themselves Grade II as a listed Park and Garden.
Stuart Holland, Harrogate
Read more:
- Stray Views: Harrogate potholes ‘worse than Cairo’
- Stray Views: Harrogate Town FC should get a new stadium
New Harrogate Town stadium a good idea
I agree with Pat Marsh’s views on Harrogate Town. Good idea to speak to the council to see what could be done.
Although consultation with Harrogate Borough Council may be obsolete now, it may be necessary to consult with the new North Yorkshire Council I suppose.
Richard Blackshaw, Harrogate
Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.
Cuts to Harrogate fire crews would ‘put money before lives’, says ex-firefighterA former firefighter and now councillor has hit out at proposals to cut the number of night-time fire engines in Harrogate to just one.
Independent councillor Sid Hawke, who worked as a retained firefighter for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in Ripon, said the plans would “put money before lives”.
Harrogate fire station currently has two fire engines operating 24 hours a day, but this could be reduced to just one at night under the proposals out to consultation.
Last night both appliances were summoned to fires in commercial bins in Harrogate town centre — this will not be possible if the proposals go ahead.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe is asking residents for their views on the plans as part of county-wide proposals, which she said would save over £1.5 million a year – yet she insisted they are not cost-cutting measures.
Cllr Hawke, an Independent member of Harrogate Borough Council and newly-elected mayor of Ripon, said:
“You can’t put money before lives.
“It’s a big town is Harrogate. If there were two shouts at one go, what would the fire station do?
“They could call in support, but that would be from Boroughbridge, Thirsk or anywhere, and somebody could lose their life in that time.”
Read more:
- Masham Police House to be sold as officers relocate to fire station
- Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service
Cllr Hawke left the fire service around 10 years ago and said it does not receive the financial support it needs to respond to emergencies quickly. He has called on Ms Metcalfe, a Conservative, to scrap the proposals and instead increase the number of fire engines and staff.
Cllr Hawke said:
“I don’t care how much could be saved – there is money in budgets elsewhere to be dug into without putting lives at risk.
“I think we need more firefighters – I really do.”
Fire service ‘has changed’
The proposals are detailed within a document which sets out how the fire service will deploy staff and equipment over the next three years.
The Risk and Resource Model has been drawn up based on “extensive risk assessments” looking at the likelihood and severity of emergencies including fires, road traffic collisions and water related incidents.
The document is out to consultation until August 14 and Ms Metcalfe said it reflected a changing role for the fire service.
Ms Metcalfe, who is also a Harrogate borough councillor, said there is higher demand for services during daytime hours in Harrogate and that fire-related incidents now make up a small proportion of what the fire service does.
She said:
Two teenagers arrested after six deliberate bin fires in Harrogate“The role of a fire and rescue service has changed and continues to change, with only 26% of our incidents last year relating to a fire emergency.
“We want to ensure we are addressing our current and future challenges and that we have the capacity to prevent and protect to stop incidents happening in the first place and prevent harm before it can take place, while also having the capacity to respond to emergencies when they do take place.
“We are confident these proposals would do that.”
Two teenagers have been arrested following six deliberate bin fires in Harrogate town centre last night.
Fire crews were called to multiple blazes involving commercial bins behind retail units, which tied up the service for two hours.
Both fire engines attended — something that won’t be possible if proposed cuts to overnight services go ahead.
Crews were called at 8.17pm last night to reports of a fire on Cambridge Street in the town centre.
Firefighters said the blaze was started deliberately by youths.
The fire was put out using hose reel jets and crews left the incident with North Yorkshire Police.
A statement from Harrogate fire station on its Facebook page said:
“Both Harrogate fire appliances were tied up for two hours last night in Harrogate.
“Crews dealt with six separate large commercial bin fires at the back of retail premises which potentially could have spread to buildings.
“Police were notified and multiple arrests took place. These unnecessary fires tie up our resources taking us away from us other incidents.”
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Zoe Metcalfe, is currently considering plans to reduce the number of appliances at Harrogate Fire Station to one at night.
This morning, North Yorkshire Police confirmed two boys, aged 17 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of arson. They have since been released under investigation.
A statement from the force added:
“Police are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote reference number 12220090536.”
Harrogate firefighters have dealt with a spate of bin fires in Harrogate town centre this week.
On Wednesday, they responded to reports of a bin fire on Bower Street under the railway track at 8.11pm. The cause is unknown.
Read more:
- Three bins in Harrogate set alight deliberately last night
- Harrogate set to have just one fire engine at night
Crews responded to deliberate blazes on both Cambridge Street and Oxford Street on Monday evening.
The fire on Oxford Street was started in a bin close to commercial buildings.
A spokesman for Harrogate fire station said they believed the fires were deliberately started by the same people and have informed the police.
Fire ravages former dairy in Harrogate districtA log burning stove is believed to have caused a fire at a former dairy building in the Harrogate district.
Firefighters from Harrogate and Knaresborough were called to the building at North Rigton at 4.45pm yesterday.
Harrogate fire station said in a social media post last night:
“Crews extinguished the fire using breathing apparatus, hose reel jets, thermal imaging camera, Harrogate’s aerial ladder platform and Tadcaster’s Water Bowser.
“Fire was believed to be caused by a log burning stove.”
More pictures from the scene taken by Harrogate firefighters
Read more:
- Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce service
- Dog trying to eat sausages causes Harrogate house fire
Five Harrogate firefighters could lose their jobs under plans to halve the number of fire engines operating in the town overnight,
The Stray Ferret revealed yesterday proposals for the station on Skipton Road to operate just one fire engine at night, as opposed to the current two.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has suggested the move as part of a three-month consultation on proposed changes to fire and rescue services.
The station would continue to be resourced for two fire engines during the day but it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am, when fewer incidents usually occur.
The move would also see the station lose its tactical response vehicle, which would be moved to an on-call station elsewhere in the county, and a self-rostering staffing system introduced.
At a commissioner public accountability meeting today, Jonathan Foster, interim chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said the reduction in posts would come from either retirements or redeployments.
He said:
“We would look towards the retirement profile, we would look towards redeployment opportunities and we would look also towards the growth opportunities in prevention and protection areas.
“I must also say that this is a progressive approach. There are some really good opportunities for our firefighters to advance into other areas if they chose to. If not, that is fine.
“There are a range of different alternatives there which will help and we will work very closely with representatives bodies to manage this process in the best way that we can.”
Read more:
- Masham Police House to be sold as officers relocate to fire station
- Harrogate set to have just one fire engine at night
Mr Foster added that the changes were justified as the service’s modelling showed peak times were between 9am and 10pm.
The changes are part of Ms Metcalfe’s Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service will deploy its people, equipment and resources.
Fire officials told today’s meeting that the proposals would help to save £1.5 million a year from 2025.
Mr Foster said:
“I stress this very much so, this is about reinvestment back into the on-call duty system to improve overall availability and then also to reinvest in protection and prevention activities so that we can protect the people of North Yorkshire and City of York in a much more effective manner.”