|
 |
Previous story (News Browser) Next story
L to R: Back row: Grant Jones, Joe Richards, Louis DorsettMiddle row: Jack Bennett, Craig Hewitt, Kirsty Powell, Ike Ali
Front row: Seamus Cox, Danny Thompson, Benny Caplin, Drew Ansell
The Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE) programme, run by the London Fire Brigade, arrived in the borough of Bexley last month.
LIFE is an intensive five day course in which young people aged between 13 and 19 learn firefighting skills alongside real London firefighters. It has grown from a single borough initiative to a nationally acclaimed scheme.
During the course young people take part in a number of training exercises including the use of breathing apparatus, casualty rescue, hose line practice and problem solving tasks. All of which are designed to improve motivation, confidence and teambuilding skills.
Over 1,000 young people have now completed LIFE in London. The programme began in the borough of Tower Hamlets in 2002, primarily as a way of improving community relations and reducing anti social behaviour directed at firefighters carrying out their duties. Since then it has grown into a programme not only aimed at young people who are at risk of offending, but also those that may have been victims of crime, or lack motivation.
David Whiting, Fire Brigade Borough Commander for Bexley added, “Many months of hard work have been carried out by the fire brigade teams in Bexley to make this course happen. And although this is a London Fire Brigade scheme, it could not have been established, or have the success it will have, without the full support of many agencies in Bexley, including the Metropolitan Police, the Youth Offending Team, the Pupil Referral Unit and all in the Bexley Community Safety Partnership.
It’s a course at a local fire station, delivered by local firefighters for local young people, and I am sure that having this fantastic scheme in the borough will make a really positive difference to the young people who attend, as well as to their families and to Bexley as a whole.”
|
|
