Road Safety GB and the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which sets out how these two key road safety stakeholders will work in partnership nationally, regionally and locally.
The two organisations have worked together over several months to develop a framework agreement which outlines how road safety professionals and fire & rescue personnel will support each other to achieve their common goals of preventing collisions and reducing casualties on the roads.
Under the terms of the MoU, road safety professionals will continue to lead on the development of road safety education, training and publicity programmes, but will be supported by fire & rescue colleagues in delivering these programmes.
Honor Byford, chair of Road Safety GB, said: "Having identified and agreed our common ground and shared aims, we will now combine the expertise, knowledge and experience of road safety professionals with the enthusiasm, profile and broad UK-wide network of the Fire & Rescue Services.
“We see particular benefit and real potential in working in partnership to reach young people, with whom fire & rescue officers often have a special relationship.
“In some areas of the country we have been working successfully together for many years through local road safety partnerships and we will now take this cooperation to another level through this national agreement."
Chief Fire Officer Dave Etheridge, CFOA lead for road safety, said: “I passionately believe that by working together we can make a difference through, for example, joint campaigning, data sharing and developing an events calendar for all road safety stakeholders.
“This MoU recognises road safety officers as the ‘professional side’ of road safety, supported by fire & rescue officers who will help to deliver road safety on the ground locally and regionally.
“Firefighters are uniquely placed to successfully engage with young people and in my experience road safety officers welcome the help and support they can provide in influencing this at-risk group of road users.
“In September 2013 CFOA launched a three year Road Safety Strategy – with invaluable input from Road Safety GB – and this MoU is a vital element in achieving our objectives.”
A copy of the MoU is available for download from the members area of this website.
Excellent news and a fantastic development. We have a lot to learn from each other whilst sharing a common goal.
Station Manager Mick Clarke, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
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It’s good multidisciplinary collaboration by all institutions who know the scope of techniques for improving the time and scope of the response to the accidentes. We should follow in all countries.
EKASY RISKIEN® Chile
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Fantastic news! An organisation gets involved that bases its activities on the results of empirical research, scientific evidence and a rejection of dogmatic doctrines. What’s not to like. Well done again.
Duncan MacKillop, Stratford on Avon
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This is fantastic news and a very enlightened approach to achieving an important common goal by working collaboratively and leveraging existing (hard pressed) resources. Well done. We welcome it.
Jan James CEO Good Egg Safety
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