Fire service leads Waltham Abbey community outreach event

The event, held in Waltham Abbey by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS), featured teams from Epping Forest District Council and focused on practical guidance to help residents stay safe at home, on the roads, and around water.

A key message promoted by the fire service was the importance of its free Home Fire Safety Visits, designed to identify fire risks, offer tailored advice and fit smoke alarms where needed.

(Image: ECFRS)

Children were given the opportunity to try on bits of uniform (Image: ECFRS)

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Mathew Bannon, station manager at ECFRS, said: "Home Fire Safety Visits are one of the most effective ways we can help people stay safe in their homes. Whether it's fitting a smoke alarm, identifying risks, or helping someone access additional support, a simple visit can make a significant difference."

Residents can book a free Home Fire Safety Visit through the ECFRS website if they do not have a working smoke alarm.

With the event taking place during the half-term break, additional emphasis was placed on water safety for families and children.

Many families met with fire fighters at the event (Image: ECFRS)

(Image: ECFRS)

Residents were reminded of the RNLI’s Float to Live campaign, which advises individuals in difficulty in water to lie on their back and control their breathing—a technique that can help counteract cold water shock. Parents were also advised to supervise children closely around water and to call 999 in emergencies.

The event offered lots of useful information (Image: ECFRS)

(Image: ECFRS)

ECFRS advised asking for the fire service for incidents in rivers and lakes and the Coastguard for emergencies at the coast. The event also highlighted opportunities to become an on-call firefighter.

Mr Bannon said: "On-call firefighters are an essential part of our Service and play a vital role in protecting communities across Essex.

"We currently have a team of firefighters in Waltham Abbey who are training every week to strengthen their skills. I'm incredibly proud of the commitment our on-call firefighters show in helping to keep the community safe,"

On-call firefighters live or work within five minutes of the fire station and are alerted to incidents by pager. They receive professional training and are paid for the time they dedicate to the role.

More information and application details are available at essex-fire.gov.uk/join.