Brigade runs course for youngsters with autism

15 July 2008

A successful London Fire Brigade scheme designed to improve the self-esteem of young people and promote fire safety is to run its first course for young people with autism.

The specially adapted Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE) course will run between 14-18 July at Erith Fire Station in Bexley.
Originally set up to improve community relations and reduce attacks on firefighters by targeting those who have offended, are at risk of offending or may have been victims of crime, the LIFE programme now works with young people from a wide range of backgrounds.

It is designed to improve motivation, discipline, self-confidence and team building skills, as well as get across fire safety and fire prevention messages. Young people on the course carry out a number of fire brigade related activities, including the use of ladders, breathing apparatus, casualty rescue techniques, hose line practice and problem solving tasks.

Now with the help of a Bexley based charity called Special Needs Access to Provision (SNAP) the Brigade has put together a specially adapted LIFE course for eight youngsters with autism. The course has the same aims as the mainstream LIFE programme but includes several key changes, including fewer participants; a ‘buddy system’ so each young person has their own instructor and extra training and familiarisation for Brigade staff on the specific needs of the autistic young people.

London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Community Safety Steve Turek said: “The LIFE programme has repeatedly shown that it has had a positive effect on those taking part. It gives young people an increased awareness of what the fire service does, a real sense of achievement and helps to develop their self esteem. In addition, making our community safety initiatives as inclusive as possible to get across the Brigade’s fire safety messages to all sections of the community is part of our commitment to equality and diversity.”

Explaining the benefits the LIFE programme could have for young people with autism Chris Millward from SNAP said: “This is an amazing opportunity for disabled young people to be involved in a pilot programme that will provide them with a unique experience. It will involve them working together as a team and developing their communication skills, as well as learning new skills that they can take forward into adulthood.”

 

Note to editors:

• The LIFE scheme began in Tower Hamlets in 2002 and now has nine teams across the capital which can take referrals from agencies working with young people from 30 boroughs
• To date there have been just over 300 courses and over 3000 young people benefiting from the LIFE programme in London.
• Following its success in the capital, London Fire Brigade staff have worked with other fire and rescue services to set up the LIFE scheme in Northern Ireland, Hampshire, East Sussex, North Yorkshire and Hertfordshire.
• Brigade staff have also travelled to New Zealand to advise the New Zealand Fire Service on setting up a similar scheme there.

Members of the media can obtain further information from the press office on:

telephone number: 020 8536 5922
email: press@london-fire.gov.uk