Have your say on fire service

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has set up the site called "Shaping Your Service" so members of the public and businesses can give their views at www.staffordshirefire.gov.uk/shapingyourservice.

It offers the chance for people to give feedback about services, suggest how they could be improved – and to win a prize for taking part.

Spokeswoman Heather Garner said that the new section of the website aimed to make the service more effective and relevant to people.

"It allows anyone in the county to see how key plans are developed and have their say on current issues under review," she went on to say.

"The website provides an opportunity to stay in touch and involved in the development of plans to keep Staffordshire safe in 2008 and beyond. The service will always respond to emergency incidents, but a priority is to work with the community in preventing incidents happening in the first place," she added.

"Staffordshire has changed since many of the fire stations were first built and one of the areas under development is looking at the current needs of the community and how the nature of risk to life has changed over the years.

"One of the core aspects in looking forward is the need to be more flexible in the way the service responds to incidents and the resources needed in order to adapt to the changing needs of the county," she added.

"We are currently looking at the early phases of developing plans for 2008 and beyond, and there will be opportunities for further involvement in the plans over the next six months."

She said there would also be opportunities to get involved in a permanent Stakeholder Forum for each area or professional discipline. Everyone who completes the on-line questionnaire before the end of March will be entered into a draw for one of five Car Safety Kits, each worth £40.

Anyone interested in the Stakeholder Forums are asked to contact Elizabeth Marginson at e.marginson@staffordshirefire.gov.uk or on 01785 898578.