South Wales Fire and Rescue Service will be teaming up with South Wales Police and Porthcawl Community Safety Task Force to launch a brand new joint partnership initiative. 

The aim of the initiative is to improve caravan fire safety and awareness and help keep caravan owners and visitors safe from fire. It also aims to increase community engagement and reduce crime in the area by creating a presence on caravan sites across Porthcawl and South Wales. 

Personnel from partner organisations will be 'cycling' into Porthcawl Fire Station at 2.00pm on Monday May 27 to launch the 'Fire Safety and Crime Reduction Bikes' initiative. 

Carl Evans, Station and Project Manager, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "On Monday personnel from SWFRS and our partners will be located at Porthcawl Station with the brand new 'Fire Safety and Crime Reduction Bikes' mountain bikes that will be used as part of this innovative project. 

"Porthcawl is one of the most popular tourist resorts on the coast of South Wales. It has four large caravan parks in the Porthcawl Station area, the largest being Trecco Bay Caravan Park, with over 2100 caravans, and a potential population increase of 12000 people.    

"By using the 'Fire Safety and Crime Reduction Bikes', personnel will have easy access to the sites allowing them to engage with caravan owners and visitors and discuss areas regarding caravan fire safety and BBQ safety.   

"Porthcawl has recently seen a rise in the amount of grass fires in the waste ground adjacent to Trecco Bay Caravan Park, and in the Sand Dunes, which are part of the Heritage Coast. These fires have either been started deliberately, or due to uncontrolled camp fires and BBQ's. The bikes will aid us in reducing these fire crimes by enabling us to travel across difficult terrain that is hard to access with a vehicle and be hot on the 'trail' of any possible arsonists."    

Matt Jones, Station Manager, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: "The 'Fire Safety and Crime Reduction Bike' teams are a new and dynamic initiative that will allow our bike teams from the Fire Crime Unit to engage with members of the public. The bikes will also be used to patrol mountain areas and forest to capture any person committing arson." 

 

For more information on this initiative please contact Carl Evans 07919227723