Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service have five community based Neighbourhood Fire Teams across Tyne and Wear, each team serving their own local community within the local authority areas of Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside. Their primary role is to work with partners to reduce the number of deliberate fires within their community.
Many communities have to contend with their environment being adversely affected by arson and by deliberate anti social behaviour fires such as refuse, grassland and anti social bonfires. In Tyne and Wear, over the past five years from 2004 – 2009, incidents of arson in buildings have resulted in 8 deaths and 134 injuries. Often, deliberate fire setting is linked closely with other anti social behaviour and crime such as the irresponsible disposal of waste, drug and alcohol misuse, graffiti etc. The taxpayers and rising insurance premiums meet the financial cost of tackling these issues which, if left unaddressed can devastate communities.
The human consequences of these incidents are immeasurable however the financial consequences can be calculated. Using government statistics the cost to the economy of Tyne and Wear of arson and anti social behaviour (ASB) over the past 5 years, is estimated at over £200 million*.