Communication is key with the launch of training DVD
A short film aimed at raising awareness of working with people with special needs has been launched to train firefighters across the region.
The DVD called ‘Everyone Matters’ has been created by Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service in partnership with West Midlands and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Services.
The aim of the film is to train fire service staff to recognise different types of special needs in both children and adults and to adapt the delivery of fire safety messages accordingly. It will generally be used as part of a training package to firefighters delivering community fire safety.
The film is broken down into three parts which show firefighters how to carry out a home fire safety check for people with hearing impairments, how to prepare for station visits by adults with learning difficulties and how to communicate effectively with children and young people with special needs when delivering fire safety messages in schools. The stars of which in the DVD are children and young people from Exhall Grange School, Ash Green.
Schools Liaison Officer, Ruth Greenhalgh said: “I would like to thank Exhall Grange School for supporting the DVD and our colleagues from West Midlands and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Services.
"So far the DVD is proving to be a real success and we hope that continues as more training is undertaken by firefighters from across the region.”
Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Richard Hobbs said: “The DVD is a positive example of how we are working in partnership with fire and rescue services across the region to improve firefighter training and the service we provide to adults and children with learning difficulties in our schools and local communities.”
Paul Norman, teacher at Exhall Grange School said: “We are very passionate at Exhall Grange School about working with the emergency services as they play a vital role within our community.
"By taking part in the DVD, our guys learnt about how to work with the fire service and how to conduct themselves if there is an emergency. Their main aim however, was to help other young people with learning disabilities by helping firefighters to be able to communicate more effectively.”
For further information regarding Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue.
Entities for this story
- Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service
- Exhall Grange School
- Rescue Service
- Fire and Rescue Service
- rescue services
- Liaison Officer
- teacher
- Governor
- Ash Green
- Richard Hobbs
- Paul Norman
- Ruth Greenhalgh
- Leicestershire Fire
- rescue services
- West Midlands
- www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue