Have Your Say on Volunteering with NIFRS

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) is asking for the public’s views on how it proposes to work with volunteers to help support the delivery of fire safety advice in the local community. 

A Volunteering Policy has been developed and is currently being consulted on.  NIFRS is keen to hear from the public and interested stakeholders on its proposals to recruit, support and engage Volunteers to help NIFRS to engage with the local community and in particular at risk groups.  

Alan Walmsley, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said: 

“In line with good practice we have developed a Volunteering Policy to underpin our commitment to Volunteering. Having successfully run a pilot scheme in the Lisburn area in 2014 we have witnessed first-hand the benefits that volunteers can bring in directly accessing people in their local community who need our safety advice and support the most.  

“We are proposing that the volunteering programme will be introduced through a phased process leading eventually to volunteer representatives for NIFRS across Northern Ireland. Volunteers bring a wealth of skills, experience and fresh ideas and we are really excited about working in partnership with the community for the community.  

“We welcome your views and I am encouraging people to participate in this consultation exercise, either from a personal point of view or on behalf of a group or organisation, to help shape the future of how we engage with and utilise Volunteers to protect those most at risk across Northern Ireland.”    

The public consultation period is live and the closing date for the receipt of comments is 30 September 2016. Consultation documents can be downloaded from the ‘Consultation’ section of   www.nifrs.org . Hard copies are available by contacting the Community Engagement & Volunteering Co-ordinator, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service Headquarters, 1 Seymour Street, Lisburn, BT27 4SX. Tel: (028) 9266 4221. Email: [email protected] or follow NIFRS on Facebook and Twitter.