The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service covers some 4,500 square miles and makes-up almost two thirds of the landmass of Wales. We have 57 stations and a current complement of staff, both operational and support, number approximately 1,400.

Following continuous review of the effectiveness of our action plan, we have endeavoured to increase our commitment in the 5 stated areas for the coming three years.
We have introduced new and innovative methods of reaching the relevant stakeholders in our Service area and beyond, and have increased collaborative working with other F&RS and other roads safety professionals.

These include (by areas):

Area 1: To enhance our operational response to Road Traffic Collisions

• 71 front line rescue appliances enhance our ability to save the lives of those involved in road traffic collisions

• Updated Driver training for our Fire Appliance drivers and operational response officers

• Additional trauma care improving chances of survival from March 2012

Area 2: To educate the general public in specific road safety issues.

• Provided co-ordination for the all Wales launch of the UN Decade for action for Road Safety
• Advice on website and plans to use social network sites to disseminate road safety education
• New Wales Fire and Rescue Service Road Safety Strategy for 2012 – 2015.
• The above document developed in partnership with North Wales, and South Wales F&RS, and the Welsh Government (WG)and will contain the WG KSI reduction targets

Area 3: To improve driving standards for our Operational Managers (to include education for all staff for 2012 -2015).

• Advanced driver training course for our operational response managers.

• A road safety video and presentation for our employees as part of our operational road risk strategy

Area 4: To positively influence the attitudes of young drivers.

• We will continue to run the Pass Plus Cymru Scheme. Pass Plus Cymru is a Welsh Assembly Government funded project, and is aimed at young drivers (17-25) who have recently passed their test and aims to help them improve driving skills, gain extra experience, and possibly obtain a discount on their car insurance.

• Domino road safety presentation for pre driver age young people delivered in schools and colleges throughout our service area. The Domino Effect is a hard hitting education tool kit created by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service aiming to educate new drivers and young people of the effects one road traffic collision can have on many lives.

• Effective road safety presentations for “at risk young people” delivered on Phoenix (software platform) and other similar courses.

• New Young Road Users interactive vehicle for 2012 -12015

Area 5: To reduce the number of motorcycle casualties in our service area.

• New Motorcycle Safety Team will bring highly conspicuous profile to Welsh roads.
• Operation Darwen targets user attitudes at “biker” gathering locations. Operation Darwen is a biker engagement informative programme.

• We will carry out the First Bike on Scene (FBOS) course improves survival chances after collisions. This course has been designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed to deal with the initial scene of a road traffic accident.

• We will carry out the Dragon Rider riding skills training programme which provides additional capacity for riding skill improvement

Data interrogation and intervention evaluation:

We will further evaluate data by using the E-Valu-It tool which was developed by the Department for Transport and RoSPA and has been adopted from 2012.
E-Valu-It is an interactive tool that helps practitioners define exactly what they are doing and why, allows them to design and carry out their evaluation, and promotes the publication and sharing of results.
What we will use to reach our stakeholders:

• Interactive presentations and group discussions
• Tyre Safety/Pressure clinics at Fire Stations that promote new EU tyre regulations.
• Theatre productions where victims of road tragedy give the human side of tragedy on our roads
• Personal and Social Education lessons that build on the presentations that we deliver on road safety.
• Promotional gifts for example tyre pressure gauges and tyre depth checkers see http://www.treadbuddy.co.uk/
• Leaflets

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