Harrogate firefighters rescued two dogs yesterday when they got stuck in a car on one of the hottest days of the year.
The car self-locked when the owner went into the boot and was unable to get back into the vehicle shortly after 11am.
With the temperature rising, and the dogs still in the back of the car, the owner summoned help.
The fire crew was called to the incident at Harlow Carr Gardens, Harrogate.
North Yorkshire Fore and Rescue Service’s incident log says:
“Crews cooled the vehicle with one hose reel jet, then released the dogs using a glass punch and gave water to them.”
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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.”
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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.
Man rescued from river near Ripon“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.”
A man was rescued from the River Ure at Sharow, near Ripon, today.
Firefighters were called to the river near Lowfield Lane at 9.39am this morning.
According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log, water crews from Ripon, Boroughbridge, Richmond, Harrogate and Selby “responded to a report of a male partially in the river”.
The incident log adds:
“The man was brought back up the embankment by fire crews and paramedics on a spinal board, to a waiting helicopter, for transfer to hospital with hypothermic symptoms.”
No further details have been provided.
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Cuts to Harrogate fire crews would ‘put money before lives’, says ex-firefighter
A 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.”
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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.
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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
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- Dog trying to eat sausages causes Harrogate house fire
A Harrogate kitchen caught fire yesterday when a dog jumped up to grab some sausages and set a tea towel alight.
Harrogate firefighters were called to Meadow Place in Starbeck shortly before 4pm following reports of fire.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log says:
“The fire started when the dog of the house attempted to jump up on a kitchen bench to snaffle some sausages and knocked a tea towel onto onto a hob that had just been turned off.”
The incident log adds that the smouldering tea towel caused smoke damage to the kitchen but it is not believed any people — or dogs — were injured in the blaze.
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Harrogate set to have just one fire engine at night
Harrogate fire station’s overnight capacity looks set to be halved under new proposals.
The station, on Skipton Road, currently operates two fire engines 24 hours a day. But under plans put forward today, it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am when fewer incidents usually occur.
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, which she launched today.
Ms Metcalfe wants to get rid of the station’s tactical response vehicle and have two emergency appliances instead. But only one emergency appliance would operate at non-peak hours overnight.
If approved, the move could result in some Harrogate firefighters facing redeployment elsewhere in the county.
Zoe Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.
Ms Metcalfe’s new Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service would deploy its people, equipment and resource, comes against a worrying financial backdrop.
‘Struggling to buy the basics’
Three months ago the Fire Brigades Union warned North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service was “struggling to buy the basics” and in need of a £25 million loan.
Ms Metcalfe, who will discuss her proposals at her monthly public accountability meeting tomorrow, said in a statement:
“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.”
The proposed change in Harrogate.
Ms Metcalfe’s office said in a statement today that there was a higher demand for services during daytime hours than at night, and the proposed change in Harrogate would offer “increased ability to respond during daytime hours, as well as boost resilience more widely”.
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However, it declined to answer questions from the Stray Ferret about how many firefighters faced redeployment, saying Ms Metcalfe would address questions in tomorrow’s meeting.
Ms Metcalfe will hold 12 events in North Yorkshire to discuss the proposals, including one in Harrogate, as well as running an online questionnaire.
Chief fire officer Jon Foster said:
“The risk and resource model would support the transformation of our fire and rescue service and enable a greater focus on prevention that is underlined by our assessment of community risk. It would also facilitate increased investment in our on-call service.”
The Stray Ferret has approached the Fire Brigades Union for comment.
Multiple vehicle crash on A1 at Allerton ParkEmergency services were called out shortly after midnight last night to reports of a car crash on the A1 in the Harrogate district.
Two people needed treatment from ambulance crews at the scene following the incident, which happened on the northbound carriageway at junction 47.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log says firefighters from Knaresborough and Harrogate attended a “multi-vehicle road traffic collision”. It adds:
“On arrival crews found that no persons were trapped. Two walking wounded casualties with minor injuries were left in the care of police and ambulance crews.
“Crews made the scene safe and carried out a thorough search of the embankment for further casualties. Incident left in the hands of police.”
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Man seriously injured in crash on Harrogate’s Leeds Road
Three people had to be freed from their vehicles after a two-car collision on Leeds Road between Pannal and Harrogate last night.
One man was taken to hospital in an ambulance after the smash, which led to the road being closed.
It is now known how bad his injuries are.
According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, three people were out of the vehicles when they were called at about 9pm.
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A further three people needed help to escape.
Firefighters used cutting gear and other tools to release them.
North Yorkshire Police tweeted about the road closure last night.
⚠️Road closure in Harrogate. Emergency services are at the scene of a serious collision on the A61, Leeds Road, between Pannal and Harrogate. The road is closed with diversions in place. Motorists are advised to avoid the area at this time. pic.twitter.com/ppGakP1SK2
— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) May 16, 2022
They issued further details today, saying the collision occurred at 7.36pm and involved a red Volkswagen Golf and a black Range Rover.
“The Golf was travelling from Harrogate towards Pannal and the Range Rover was travelling from the Pannal direction towards Harrogate.
“The sole occupant of the Golf was taken to hospital with serious, potentially life changing injuries.
“The five occupants of the Range Rover were also taken to hospital with injuries.
“Road closures were put in place for around six hours while emergency crews attended the scene and an initial investigation was carried out.”
Witnesses can email Paul.Buckley@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Paul Buckley.