Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

We are advising people in Woolacombe to keep their windows and doors closed due to the smoke from a fire on Woolacombe Station Road. We have eight appliances currently dealing with a fire involving the retail shop building on a petrol station forecourt.

Update: Link to the final details is in the comments.

Some really important water safety advice from Royal Life Saving Society UK - RLSS UK

🚨 Join us for an online event on our Community Risk Management Plan 🚨

Each fire and rescue service creates a Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP). We want to keep our Devon and Somerset communities informed about ours - highlighting local risks and how we're working to prevent, reduce, and respond to them.

From fire prevention to emergency response, we're here to keep you, your business, and our local economy safe.

Want to learn more about our 2022-2027 plan? Join us:

📅 Date: Tuesday 8 October
⏰ Time: 12-pm
🔗 Join: Microsoft Teams link in comments box below👇🏽

Book on to our 'Have a go day' at Taunton Fire Station on Saturday 5 October.

If you are interested in becoming an on-call firefighter and live or work within five minutes of your local fire station, you can express an interest before applying and attend one of our sessions. Link in the comments 👇

Good luck to everyone who is starting, and those who are continuing their studies, at University of Exeter and University of Plymouth this month! 🌟

We’re sure you’ve got lots of unpacking to do, and new friends to meet, but we thought we’d pull together some top fire safety tips to ensure you stay safe!

Link in the comments below 🔥 👇🏾

We will be supporting Join in Somerset. See you there!

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
On Saturday 28th September visit Taunton. The whole town centre is hosting a celebration of art, culture, performance and community, Taunton Together.

But the bit you must visit is along Hammet Street and around Taunton Minster. As High Sheriff, I am hosting a section called "Join in Somerset" with over 90 charities and community groups showing what they do, how they can help you, and how you might get involved in volunteering and supporting them. There are cars and emergency service vehicles for the kids to climb over (and the adults!), goods to buy, coffee, food, music and entertainment.

11am to 4pm - come and discover what is going on in your community.

We're featured in the latest edition of Jobs and Careers magazine, showcasing what it's like to work for England's largest non-metropolitan fire and rescue service and the exciting roles we have available to help save lives every day.

Jobs And Careers Summer 2024 Experience our interactive, profoundly engaging digital publication!

Join us at the Dartmouth emergency services recruitment and open day 🚒 🚓 🚑 🚤
Would you like to meet your local emergency service teams and learn about what roles are available to you in the sector?
Come along to the emergency services recruitment and open day in Coronation Park, Dartmouth, on Saturday, 14 September, from 11am to 3pm.
🌟 meet real-life heroes
🌟 have a look around emergency vehicles
🌟 learn more about careers in the sector.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Devon and Cornwall Police, Southwestern Ambulance Service, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and His Majesty’s Coastguard will all be attending.

Today we honour the memory of those who lost their lives on 11 September 2001.

We remember the brave firefighters and emergency service workers who selflessly responded to help those in need.

We will never forget.

We still have a few places available for our 'have a go' day at Yeovil Fire Station on Saturday. Express your interest on our website to be invited to the event or another one later in the year

Express your interest in one of our 'Have a go days' | Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Are you looking for an exciting and rewarding career in firefighting? Do you want to serve your community, save lives, and make a real difference? At Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community. Our On-Call Firefighters are the....

Today (9 September) is Emergency Services Day, an opportunity for us to show our support for our emergency service colleagues. 🚒

We want to thank our firefighters, control room operators, fire cadets, advocates, our staff behind the scenes and our colleagues from other agencies.

🔥🚨 It's Chimney Fire Safety Week! 🚨🔥

Did you know that now’s the best time of year to get your chimney swept before the winter? Regular sweeping protects your home and your safety. Here's how often it is advised you sweep:

🪵 Wood: Every three months
♨️ Smokeless fuels: Once a year
🪨 Bituminous coal: Twice a year
🛢️ Oil & Gas: Once a year

Always hire a professional sweep for a thorough inspection and certificate. Plus, ensure your chimney is safe and up to modern standards. More advice on our website in the link in comments 👇🏼

Make sure you're ready to be safe and warm this winter HETAS

Join us at the Dartmouth emergency services recruitment and open day 🚒 🚓 🚑 🚤

Would you like to meet your local emergency service teams and learn about what roles are available to you in the sector?

Come along to the emergency services recruitment and open day in Coronation Park, Dartmouth, on Saturday, 14 September, from 11am to 3pm.

🌟 meet real-life heroes
🌟 have a look around emergency vehicles
🌟 learn more about careers in the sector.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Devon and Cornwall Police, Southwestern Ambulance Service, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and His Majesty’s Coastguard will all be attending.

Are you an enthusiastic and proactive individual, with a skill for implementing effective process and procedures?

We are looking for an Information Governance Officer to join our team in Exeter on a full-time basis (37 hours per week).

We are looking for someone who has:
🌟 evidence of responding to Subject Access Requests
🌟 evidence of responding to Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests
🌟 knowledge of data protection and impact assessments
🌟 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) training and awareness
🌟 knowledge of cyber security and can demonstrate how it supports GDPR.

This is a full-time role, and we offer flexible and home working options.

Find out more and apply on our website, which is linked in the comments.

Don’t forget! 7th September 2024: 10:00 - 4:00pm
Wells fire station open day!

Come and meet your local fire fighters who work hard to keep your local community safe!

See the equipment that we use and ask any questions you may have.

There’s going to be demonstrations, and a chance to try on fire fighter kit for all you budding fire fighters.

Win fabulous prizes from our raffle in aid of the firefighters charity.

Get your bike security marked by our colleagues from the police.

The road safety team will be there to offer advice on staying safe during your travels.

Meet fireman Sam!

A fun filled day for all the family that’s not to be missed, hope to see you there!

Pete Starbuck from Woolacombe is the local events organiser, maintenance contractor, DJ, first responder and retained firefighter 🚨

He’s been nominated as a Award finalist in the Great Neighbour category. Listen to Pete’s story here 🎧👉 https://bbc.in/4dx3XG1

Are you skilful in creating content, helping to develop SharePoint sites, and working with a wide range of teams? Then we have the role for you.

We are looking for a Digital Content Officer to join us on a short fixed-term contract (37 hours per week for six months)

We are looking for someone who has:

🌟 the ability to create a variety of content
🌟 experience with content management systems
🌟 experience in writing user-focused content
🌟 knowledge of accessibility
🌟 good customer and client relationship skills
🌟 can manage competing priorities.

This is a six-month temporary role, and we offer flexible and home-working options.

Find out more and apply on our website, which is linked in the comments.

We are holding a series of ‘Have a go’ days this year for people who are interested in becoming on-call firefighters.

The next session at Yeovil Fire Station on Saturday 14 September is a positive action event, which means it is reserved for groups who are under-represented in our fire and rescue service.

The event will help us address particular concerns, uncover any myths about what it is to be a firefighter, and give you the opportunity to ask questions and ‘have a go’ at what it is like to join our fire and rescue service.

Under-represented groups include:

Women
People from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups
People who have English as an additional language
People from LGBTQ+ groups
People with disabilities

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is committed to attracting the best candidates and encouraging everyone to consider a career as a firefighter.

The full list of ‘Have a go’ sessions for everyone to attend is on our website.

If you are interested in becoming an on-call firefighter and live or work within five minutes of your local fire station, you can express an interest before applying and attend one of our sessions.

Express your interest in one of our 'Have a go days' | Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Are you looking for an exciting and rewarding career in firefighting? Do you want to serve your community, save lives, and make a real difference? At Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, we are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community. Our On-Call Firefighters are the....

⏰ Just one week to go until our Open Day at our headquarters near Exeter on Sunday 1 September.

Join our teams and our emergency services partners for exciting demonstrations throughout the Open Day which runs from 10am to 4pm 👀

We will also be fundraising for Hospiscare and Fire Fighters Charity with lots of fun and games including a coconut shy, adults and children's tombola , skittles, bouncy castle, splat the rat, face painting, tin can alley, raffle, BBQ, refreshments and much more...

Don’t forget to get the firefighters wet in the stocks!🧽

Are you an experienced wholetime firefighter looking for a change of scenery? 🚒
Would you like to live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK? 🏖️
🌟 We are recruiting wholetime firefighters from across the UK to transfer to Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.🌟
Visit our website (the link is in the comments👇 ) to learn more and apply.

Looking for plans this Friday? 🌞 Bring the kids (and the grown-ups!) down to Exmouth Beach to learn all about summer safety - from travel tips to beach and water safety! 🚒🌊

We’ll be on the grassland adjacent to Mickey’s Beach Bar and Restaurant from 10am-4pm, with plenty of friendly fire service faces ready to share top tips and get everyone involved in fun, interactive activities. Tag someone who might be interested - we hope to see you there! 👋 Mickeys Beach Visit Exmouth East Devon District Council Exmouth Lifeboat Station

📷 Visit South Devon

🚒🔥Fire at Baggy Point, Croyde

Today, our crew responded to a fire at Baggy Point, Croyde. The fire had burnt into the ground but our firefighters managed to extinguish it before it could take hold.

We found leftover marshmallows at the scene, suggesting the fire may have been started for a bit of toasting. While we all love a good marshmallow, please don’t have fires in open spaces. We don’t want a repeat of the devastating fire we had in the area two years ago 🔥

A huge thank you to the passerby who provided us with the exact location using *what3words*. It made all the difference in getting to the fire quickly 🗺️

As always, if you spot a fire in the open, use the *what3words* app to help us locate it efficiently and keep everyone safe.

Many wildfires are started deliberately or are due to careless, reckless, or irresponsible behaviour. If you see or suspect someone of acting suspiciously, recklessly, or irresponsibly in the countryside contact the Police on 101 or pass information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Stay safe, and enjoy the beautiful weather responsibly! ☀️

It's less than two weeks to go until our Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Open day at our headquarters near Exeter on Sunday 1 September.

Our Chief Fire Officer, Gavin Ellis will be opening the event at 10am and our teams will be holding demonstrations and talks throughout the day including a chance to see our search and rescue dogs in action for a live scent demonstration.

There will be lots of emergency services vehicles to have a look at and plenty to do with lots of fun games including a coconut shy, adults and children's tombola , skittles, bouncy castle, splat the rat, face painting, tin can alley, raffle, BBQ, refreshments and live music from the Shanty Men, Street Heat and the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue band.

The event, which runs until 4pm, is a fundraiser for Hospiscare and Fire Fighters Charity

Congratulations to our latest on-call firefighter recruits who have passed their initial skills course and are now 'on the run'.

A particular well done to Rhys Cook from Burnham on Sea and Steven Hogg from Wells.

Rhys was awarded the Silver Axe award for the highest-performing recruit which is presented to the trainee firefighter on each course who has displayed and maintained exemplary standards in all aspects of the course. The silver axe recognises the value of the trainee firefighter’s contribution during their course and their commitment to the Service.

Steven was the recipient of the Recruits' Recruit Award, voted for by his peers on the course.

Both recruits were presented their awards by Director of Service Delivery, Nicola Bottomley.

Are you an experienced wholetime firefighter looking for a change of scenery? 🚒

Would you like to live and work in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK? 🏖️

🌟 We are recruiting wholetime firefighters from across the UK to transfer to Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.🌟

Visit our website (the link is in the comments👇 ) to learn more and apply.

Our recent 'have a go' day at Totnes Fire Station saw 19 of you join us to discover what it's like to be an on-call firefighter.

The day started with a presentation about our Service and the role of an on-call firefighter. 🚒

Everyone got into full fire kit and had a go at the equipment carry exercise, to give an idea about the fitness assessment when joining the Service as an on-call firefighter. 🏃‍♀️

There was a breathing apparatus experience (not using air) where the mask was blanked out to show what it is like not being able to see when wearing heavy kit.🔥

Everyone had a look around a fire appliance and to finish off the day, there was a question-and-answer session with two of our new on-call firefighters from Totnes Station.🧑‍🚒

We hope to see you all again very soon. 🤞

The next event is at Yeovil Fire Station on 14 September, if you are interested visit our website and fill out an expression of interest form, see the link in the comments. 👇

🚒 Join us at Haytor Dartmoor National Park on Wednesday 14 August, where we’ll be in the Visitor Centre car park from 10:30am to 2pm! 🚒

Learn how you can help prevent wildfires in Devon and discover what we do when we're called to action. Our friendly firefighters will be on hand to chat, and you can check out our specialist all-terrain vehicle (ATV) used to tackle fires in woodland and on moors.

Plus, we’ll be bringing along our Wildfire Warriors photo board for you to take some fun photos too! A perfect summer holiday activity! 📸👩‍🚒

📍 Haytor Vale, TQ13 9XT (Lower car park, three miles west of Bovey Tracey).

Look forward to seeing you there! More info about Haytor in the comments below
Dartmoor National Park