Burning desire to tell fire safety messages

AN innovative safety partnership has been launched between the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service and the Diocese of Chelmsford - the first of its kind for the UK.

The scheme will see fire safety evangelist Stephen Rice taking the fire safety message to congregations throughout the county.

The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd John Gladwin, chairman of the county fire authority, Councillor Lionel Lee, Chief Fire Officer David Johnson and Fire Minister Angela Smith MP were present at the event launch.

Stephen has been kitted out with his own fully-equipped van and trained by the county to conduct home fire safety visits and install alarms in the homes of vulnerable parishioners across the whole of Essex.

The partnership will help the county fireservice to make contact with traditionally hard to reach groups through the church's existing links in the community.

Stephen, affectionately tagged ‘vicar in the van' by the fire service though he is not ordained, is employed by the diocese but is on permanent secondment to the fire service to carry out his work.

Following his training with the fire servicecommunity education team, he has shadowed other officers as they conducted routine homefire safety visits. Now he is ready to go it alone.

"My job will involve going out to visit different churches and telling them about the service the fire and rescue team offers and then,when the requests come in, I will conduct the home fire safety visits, install smoke alarms and make sure that people are as safe as they can be," said Stephen, from West Mersea.

Stephen, an active member of his local church, is training to be a lay evangelist, which is how he came to be chosen for the job.

This is not the first time the Diocese of Chelmsford has supported the county fire service. Last year, Revd Tim Ball of Trinity Church, Chelmsford - a former firefighter -became the service's chaplain in a welfare role designed to support staff. The new partnership agreement, which will be signed in February at Tim's church by senior officers of the diocese and the fire service, will strengthen existing links.

Chief fire officer David Johnson said: "This is an example of a modern fire service at work in the community and is a fantastic opportunity for us to work with a highly regarded, community-focused organisation. It will get us into the heart of our communities in a project aimed at making people's lives safer.

"Within the fire service, this is the first scheme of its kind. We hope that the example set by Essex will be followed nationally."

Bishop John added: "This is a very exciting project. I am very grateful to the fire service for making this possible. The future belongs to allwho work in partnership to achieve a better service for our public servants. This has myfull support and encouragement."

Stephen has security ID. He is available to answer questions about the Christian faith and can call on any resident or group at their invitation.

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