Mid And West Wales Fire And Rescue Service Receive Innovation Award From The All Wales Continuous Improvement Community

The All Wales Continuous Improvement Community (AWCIC) is a multi-agency network which has developed in order to spread good practice, innovation, collaboration and leadership across the public sector. The AWCIC hold annual awards recognising excellence and innovation within the public sector. Awards are highly competitive and sought after and shortlisted candidates have achieved a high level of recognition in the community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On Wednesday 25th May 2016 the national awards were held in the Millennium Centre, Cardiff, with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) presented with the award for Innovation as result of The Mobile Carbonaceous Training Unit (MCTU). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The ethos of MAWWFRS decree prevention is better than cure, and the number of fire calls has dropped dramatically due to the proactive work of the Fire Service through Community Safety initiatives. Whilst this is a great success and makes the public safer, less calls means less real life experience of firefighting. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a result, MAWWFRS set out to address this with this first of its kind, mobile fire training unit. For the first time, firefighters are able to practice ‘hot fire’ scenarios as often as is needed, delivered locally and environmentally friendly. The unit not only burns real combustible material but cleans the smoke before expelling it to atmosphere. Its mobile nature also means firefighters don’t have to travel sometimes up to two hours, to get to Swansea and the nearest burn facility. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Group Manager, Craig Flannery, who spearheaded the operation speaks about MCTU, ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The highest point experienced as part of this project has been the overwhelming feedback from over 130 staff members who have been involved, saying that this had been a positive learning experience for them and some even going as far as to say it had helped them with critical skills they need to help others during property fires”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Winning this award helps prove as an organisation that even the smaller and more rural emergency services across the UK have something really exciting to offer in terms of innovation and national best practice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As the first of its kind in the UK, we hope to demonstrate that Wales is a place of solution thinking and leaders in innovation”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​