Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Item

25 September 2002

Interactive Fire Safety CD-ROM for Children

Report of the Chief Fire Officer

Contact:

David Howells, Director of Corporate Services

Tel: 023 8064 4000 Ext 203

1

Introduction

1.1

One of the planning conditions associated with the rebuilding of St Mary's Fire Station in Southampton was that some appropriate artwork should be included in the scheme for the benefit of the community.

1.2

In collaboration with Southampton City Council's Public Art Projects Officer, two items of work were commissioned: a mural based on the `triangle of fire'; and, an interactive fire safety CD-ROM for children.

1.3

The design of the mural has included an educational element and involved the Service's Teacher Advisor, St Mary's Fire Station's Young Fire Firefighter's Association, and school children in the local community. This has now been completed and mounted on the walls of the main stair well/circulation area of the Fire Station.

1.4

It is not possible, in a written report, to do justice to the excellent potential the interactive fire safety CD-ROM will have for fire safety education in schools, so it will be briefly demonstrated at the meeting.

2

The Interactive CD-ROM Commission

2.1

In considering the options for suitable artwork it was decided, at a very early stage, that the Service should endeavor to derive some genuine fire safety related educational benefits from the commission. The opportunity to engage the services of `digital artists' was taken up who were equally keen to develop an interactive CD-ROM to help the Service deliver fire safety awareness and advice to school children.

2.2

A virtual reality "Hazard House" has been produced on a CD-ROM. Aimed essentially at school children at Key Stages I & II, it will provide a valuable resource to complement the already excellent fire safety work being undertaken in schools. It will enable children (and adults!) to move around rooms in the house and to identify various potential fire risks. Appropriate sound effects will be activated as hazards are `touched on'. Still photographs - taken from real incidents that have been caused by the particular risks - will be revealed as they are `clicked on' providing a chilling reminder of the dangers from fire.

2.3

The CD-ROM will also provide a valuable resource for teachers for further cross-curricula work - e.g. story-writing/telling.

2.4

There is an expectation that this innovative use of technology to support fire safety education and awareness in schools will be very well received. It is hoped that it will lead to an interest - perhaps at a national level - for further investment/funding of this sort of resource. We see this as one of the most exciting projects that can contribute to implementation of `e-government'.

3

Official Launch

3.1

The CD-ROM will be officially launched at Mount Pleasant School, Southampton, on 17 October 2002 at 1500 hours. Invitations will be sent out to all members of HFRA.

4

European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998

4.1

The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 and considered in the light of the Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000.

Recommendations

That the Authority endorses the initiative and use of the interactive CD-ROM to enhance fire safety training in schools.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose the facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report.

None

NB The list excludes:

1 Published works

2 Documents that disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act

Dir.fin HFRA 25 9 2002 CD Rom 17 9 2002