Keep your schools in business!
With the summer holidays quickly approaching, Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service is sending out information to schools across Warwickshire on how to keep their school safe from arson.
Nationally 20 schools are damaged or destroyed in an arson attack every week and around a 100,000 pupils are affected by school arson each year in England and Wales. In Warwickshire there have been 31 arson related incidents in our schools for the year 2006/2007.
Fire can have devastating effects on a school, the most memorable in Warwickshire being the fire at Avon Valley School, Rugby in June 2004.
Community Safety Manager, Scott Moultrie said:
“The summer holiday is a vulnerable time for schools and this pack will provide them with a range of information, which aims help them to reduce the chance of their school becoming a statistic of arson. Over the last two years we have attended 63 arson related incidents in schools. Although most of the incidents were small, the fires still affected the children and young people attending those schools.
“As well as targeting the schools, we have also invested a lot of time talking to young people about the devastating effects arson can cause, not only on the school, but also the community it serves.”
The ‘Keep Your Schools in Business’ booklet has been produced by the West Midlands Regional Arson Task Force. Guidelines include simple messages such as storing rubbish at least 20 metres away from the school building and out of view, ensuring that all entry to the building is secured at all times and ensure that flammable containers are removed, reduced or stored in a secure space.
For any arson related incidents please contact Ian Tonner, Arson Reduction Manager on 02476 483205.