Lincolnshire’s emergency services, local authorities and other organisations are practicing what they would do in the event of a major incident this week. Exercise Georgiana, which is running at RAF Waddington from May 21 to 22, looks at how local services would deal with an event such as a train crash.

The Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue training facility is fully decked out to represent a serious train crash, involving a number upturned train carriage and debris. In addition to the train crash scene, Fire and Rescue also have a serious road traffic accident set up, where a lorry has smashed into a building.

300 people from Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, East Midlands Ambulance Service, local authorities and the Environment Agency are taking part, plus 100 from health, voluntary and private agencies.

Exercise Georgiana uses a train crash as a serious scenario because it is considered the top risk services would have to deal with, according to the Lincolnshire community risk register. It’s named Exercise Georgiana after Georgiana Baguley (33), a victim of the Scotch Express rail accident of 1906 in Grantham. The 8.45pm train from King’s Cross smashed through Grantham Station, then derail and crashed through the parapet above Harlaxton Road, killing 14. She was the only one who could not be immediately identified. She is now buried in Grantham Cemetery.

Throughout the two-day exercise, emergency service will be on call as usual for residents, and disruptions for locals will be kept to a minimum.

A car crashed into a house in Washingborough near Lincoln on Saturday morning.

The incident happened at around 6am on May 18 at a property on Fen Road, Washingborough.

A dark blue Ford Focus went off the road and crashed into a house, leaving it in a dangerous state.

Emergency services attended and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue propped up the damaged wall with shores.

The driver of the car was not trapped or injured.

06:07 1 of 2 – Specialist crews from Lincoln are in attendance at a property on Fen Road, Washingborough.

— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) May 19, 2013

2 of 2 – 1 vehicle RTC, no persons trapped. Car crashed into property leaving it in a dangerous state. Emergency shoring up taking place.

— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) May 19, 2013

Photo of the RTC this morning involving a house near Washingborough. No injuries. @lincsfirerescue USAR stabilising twitter.com/LincsRPU/statu…

— Lincs Police RPU (@LincsRPU) May 19, 2013

Lincolnshire County Council will be using Waddington to test local emergency services and other public sector organisations in a serious incident.

The exercise, as part of Exercise Georgiana, will take place on May 21 and 22 just off the A15 to test the council’s large scale emergency plans.

It aims to test personnel and systems of contingencies in coping, containing and resolving a major incident.

The exercise will involve services such as Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, East Midlands Ambulance Service, local authorities, the Environment Agency and health agencies, plus voluntary and private agencies.

The council said the exercise will not disrupt the public, but motorists may see more emergency vehicles in the area.

The exercise runs between 8am and 9pm.

One car was completely burnt out while two others were damaged by a suspicious fire in Lincoln in the early hours of Tuesday.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to a car on fire on Greyling Close in the Ermine just before 1am on March 19.

A white Vauxhall Astra has been burnt out in the blaze and a blue Jaguar and Jeep Cherokee were also damaged.

Lincolnshire Police are treating the fire as suspicious and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward and call 101 quoting incident 11 of March 19.

0058hrs-Crews from Lincoln North attended a car fire on Greyling Close,Lincoln. 2 further cars were partly damaged by fire.

— Lincs Fire & Rescue (@LincsFireRescue) March 19, 2013

Smoking materials are the main cause of accidental house fire deaths in Lincolnshire, according to new figures released by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.

The statistics show that the number of house fires caused by smoking has decreased from 28 in 2011 to 16 in 2012, but of those fires, more are fatal.

There were 212 accidental house fires attended by Lincolnshire firefighters in 2012, compared with 365 in 2011 and 380 in 2010.

However, there were three fatalities from accidental house fires in 2012 compared to 1 in 2011, all of which were caused by smoking materials.

Overall last year, 1 in 13 accidental fires in the home were caused by smoking materials, and 14% of casualties needed more help than could be given at the scene.

Debbie Robinson, deputy community fire safety manager at Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “These accidental fires often start when people are at their most vulnerable, which is why they are so often fatal.

“Nationally and within Lincolnshire statistics show that smoking materials cause more fire-related deaths than any other domestic fires.”

“So, we are trying to encourage people to not smoke when feeling tired, especially in bed or lounging in a chair. And to remember that if they have been drinking alcohol or taking medication, they may feel drowsy,” Debbie Robinson added.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue advised to always use an ashtray when smoking, never smoke in bed, and always empty ashtrays before going to bed, making sure the contents are fully extinguished, like running them under a tap.

A 54-year-old man from Brigg has died following a collision on the A46 in Lincoln on Monday.

The incident happened at around 2.40pm on February 25 between the Pennells and Swinderby roundabouts.

Two lorries collided and one of the vehicles shed its load. Emergency services attended the scene and Fire and Rescue freed one of the drivers.

A 54 year-old man from Brigg, who was driving one of the HGVs, died following the incident. He has not been formally named.

The section of the road was closed until around 8.30am on Tuesday morning for Lincolnshire Police to carry out scene investigations.

Lincolnshire Police have arrested and bailed a 47-year-old man in connection with an arson incident on Winn Street in Lincoln on February 21.

Fire and Rescue attended a fire outside a property on Winn Street at around 9.30pm on Thursday, after a witness spotted the blaze.

Items in the front garden had been set alight and the road was closed while Fire and Rescue dealt with the blaze. No-one was injured as a result of the fire.

Detective Constable Kerry Brooks from Lincoln CID is asking anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in Winn Street during the evening of February 21 to contact the police.

Anyone with information should call 101 and quote incident number 440 of 21 February. Alternatively, call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Updated on Feb 5 at 11.34am: One fire engine remains at the service garage in the east of Lincoln to cool acetylene cylinders and extinguish any hot spots.

There was severe damage to five vehicles and tools at the premises.

An area 75 meters around the premises has been evacuated and some eight crews attended the incident that was first reported at 3.42pm on Monday.

Two fire engines remained overnight to monitor the fire.

The incident is at the Riccardo Emiliani unit on Wrightsway, off Outer Circle Drive. The fire started on the ground floor.

It is still unclear what started the fire, which was emitting a black smoke.

No one was hurt.

Fire and Rescue used four breathing apparatus, one hose reel and two main jets.

Photos from the scene from Lee Shear, Andy Hibberd and Lincoln Jaguar

Many Lincoln residents are experiencing little or no water due to a plant failure at Anglian Water.

The issue started at around 9.30am on December 27, with residents around the city finding their water supply either had a lower pressure than usual, or no water at all.

This is due to plant failure at one of Anglian Water’s sites.

The company is currently to restore the supply to normal, however this could take until 2pm to fix.

In a statement, Anglian Water said: “We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this reduction in your normal service.”

Anglian Water have had a number of issues due to the bad weather in the region over the last few days.

This includes high river, stream, brook and dyke levels causing rainwater to back up some pipes.

This can mean that some of pumping stations are not able to work as effectively as they normally do.

To find out more about other problems Anglian Water are experiencing, and updates on their service, visit the website.

Update at 4.14pm: The faulty pumps were turned back on at 3.15pm. Pressure is now returning to the network, and everyone should be back on water by 6pm.

Nobody was injured in a Lincoln High Street chip shop fire on Saturday, December 15.

Emergency services were called at 5.05pm to the fire at Golden Fryer at 7 High Street.

Firemen cleared the flat upstairs the chip shop, but no-one was inside.

The owner of the premises told police the fire was started from a chip pan. He tried to use an extinguisher.

Two Fire & Rescue appliances attended the fire, and the road was partially closed at South Park up until 6pm.

Photo: Carl Tyrell

— Updated at 3.10pm

A cyclist has been rescued from under a lorry at a junction in Lincoln.

The woman was trapped under the lorry after a collision with a blue Scania HGV at the pedestrian crossing at High Street and St Mark’s.

The 57-year-old Lincoln woman was riding a white and red cycle.

The HGV was driven by a 56-year-old Scunthorpe man, towing a white trailer.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and Lincolnshire Police were called to the scene at around 9.23am to attend the incident.

Emergency services released the trapped woman and she was taken to Lincoln County Hospital with serious leg injuries.

Her condition is not thought to be life-threatening.

The road was closed, re-opening before midday.

Sgt Ewan Gell of the Lincolnshire Police Roads Policing Unit is investigating the circumstances of the collision. He is asking for witnesses to contact him via the Police Collision Witness Hotline on 01522 558855.

A tractor was severely damaged after it caught fire in Nettleham.

The tractor was being used to clean mud off Washdyke Lane in the village when it caught fire.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to the incident just after midday on Tuesday, October 2, and two fire engines attended and closed the road.

Eyewitness Stephen Ryland told The Lincolnite the tractor’s fuel tank burst, spilling fuel down road, with flames up to 20ft high, visible from the A46 ring road at its height.

Firemen used two main jets and two breathing apparatus, and extinguished the fire. One fire engine remained on scene to clear out the area.

The cause of the fire is still unknown. No one was reportedly injured in the incident.

Photos: Stephen Ryland

With cooler weather around the corner and the nights beginning to draw in, many people will soon be firing up their fireplaces and wood-burning stoves.

Although open fires and wood burners undeniably add heat and ambience to a home, it’s important to remember that over 6,000 chimney fires occur in England each year.

In the last year, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue attended 146 fires that started in a chimney – and many of these could have been prevented if precautions had been taken.

Chimney fires happen when soot or creosote deposits in the chimney catch light due to high temperatures or flames from a very hot fire extending into the outlet.

All chimney fires are extremely dangerous as internal flue temperatures can reach 1,100 degrees Celsius and heat radiated through chimney walls can cause a devastating house fire – especially in properties with thatched or wooden roofs.

Flames or sparks can leap from the chimney top or through cracks in the flue and ignite the roof or other parts of the house.

The bricks of the chimney can become hot enough to combust thatch, wooden beams – even adjoining houses or nearby trees.

Fire safety tips

Therefore, it’s important to remember a few basic fire safety tips to make sure you’re not at risk.

First of all, always make sure you have a working smoke alarm fitted to each floor of your house. They help save lives by giving you earlier warning of a fire and extra seconds to get out. Make sure, too, that you have a fire escape plan.

Chimney fires most commonly result from four basic causes – infrequent sweeping and cleaning, burning of unseasoned wood, improper appliance sizing, or overnight burning or smouldering of wood for long periods in wood burners.

So to reduce the risk of a fire, make sure your chimney is swept regularly by a professional, qualified chimney sweep such as those certified by the National Association of Chimney Sweeps.

Only burn seasoned wood purchased from reputable suppliers and make sure your wood burner isn’t too large for your room, always following manufacturer’s instructions for fuel loading and air flow.

Use a fire guard to protect against flying sparks from hot embers, and make sure the fire is completely out before you go to bed.

Also, remember that if you are in a rented property, your landlord has a duty of care towards you as a tenant to repair and maintain heaters and fuel burners.

Make sure your family can safely enjoy a cosy fire – take the proper precautions before the cold weather sets in.

For more fire safety information, please see the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue website.

Would you like more advice or a free Home Fire Safety Check? Please email the Community Fire Safety department or call 01522 582222.

Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue extinguished a fire in a field behind Waitrose in Lincoln.

They were called to the incident on Nettleham Road at around 2.05pm and put out the blaze in around 30 minutes with two fire engines.

The cause of the fire is yet unknown.

Photos: Amy-Kate Wych

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is hosting the biggest firefighting competition in the UK this weekend, demonstrating Fire and Rescue teams’ expertise.

Around 130 teams took part in the five exercises of the UK Rescue Challenge, from undertaking an urban rescue to getting a casualty out of a car crash in 20 minutes.

Teams scaled the University of Lincoln’s main building, undertook water rescues in Brayford Pool and freed people from car crashes under Brayford Way Bridge.

Activities for visitors include a graffiti artist, climbing wall, street performers, street first aid and a fly-past by the Red Arrows.

There was also the chance to meet some of the local team’s rescue dogs too.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue’s group manager Mark Baxter said: “Fire and Rescue teams across the country are being challenge and tested on how they would do modern rescue for the fire service.

“There are five disciplines they are being challenged on: road traffic collisions, trauma (advanced first aid), rope rescue, urban search and rescue and water search and rescue.

“As a fire service, we are always very proud of the work we do and the high standard the team perform at on a day to day basis. We just want the public to come and see and enjoy the event.”

He added :”Lincoln was chosen after we put in a bid to the competition two years ago. It goes around the country every year with a different fire service hosting, so Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is really proud to host and showcase all the work it does in rescue situations.”

Chris Whaley, the university’s catering and conference manager, said: “We’re delighted that the University of Lincoln is able to support an event such as this.

“It’s raising the profile of the university and the city as a whole, and is our way of thanking Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue service as they do so much for us and the local community.”

Steve Apter, chairman of the UK Rescue Organisation, added: “The UK Rescue Challenge is the culmination of hours of dedicated training and honing of skills across a wide range of technical skills.

“It’s a world-class event, showcasing the pinnacle of the nation’s rescue expertise.”

The event runs from 10am to 4pm August 24 and 25 and is free for the public to attend.

— Latest on August 20: Man arrested after dog dies in Ermine flat fire

— Updated at 12:34am on August 20

A flat on Welton Gardens in the Ermine, Lincoln, has been severely damaged in a fire on Sunday, August 19.

Emergency services were called at Westminster House at around 5.20pm on Sunday to attend the maisonette on fire.

Ten flats in the building were evacuated.

Five fire engines attended the scene to tackle the blaze, with assistance from police and ambulance.

Initial reports indicate that no one was injured, but a pet dog appears to have perished in the blaze.

At this stage it is still unclear what caused the fire. An update is expected later on Monday morning.

The City Council has boarded up the property.

House on fire down the Ermine. @thelincolnite twitter.com/Bassey_Imp/sta…

— вυттεяy вιscυιт вαss (@Bassey_Imp) August 19, 2012

@jimnotjon @thelincolnite twitter.com/jimnotjon/stat…

— James Bass (@jimnotjon) August 19, 2012

A Lincolnshire firefighter has been honoured at a national awards ceremony celebrating the efforts of Britain’s emergency services.

Neil Fritzsche from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue was one of the winners at the first BBC 999 Awards, announced during a programme presented by Lenny Henry and Kirsty Young on BBC One on Thursday.

He received a Special Recognition Award, given to those who have performed beyond the call of duty in exceptional circumstances.

Neil said: “I am proud and honoured to receive this award. But being part of the emergency services is not about individuals, it’s about teamwork, and I have worked in and with some of the best teams in the world during my career.

“On behalf of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, I am very proud of all our accomplishments here in the UK and abroad.”

After 37-years-long career with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, Neil plans to retire from the service next year.

He joined the fire service in 1975 as a retained firefighter. Over the years he has worked his way up the ladder to area manager responsible for response, managing the county’s firefighting capabilities.

Neil was also a founding member of Lincolnshire’s Urban Search and Rescue Team and helped the development of the UK International Search and Rescue Team, helping save many lives around the world.

Cllr Peter Robinson, Executive Member for Community Safety, Cohesion and Diversity, said: “Neil has devoted his entire career to keeping people safe.

“During his time with Fire and Rescue, Neil has demonstrated selfless dedication and a sense of public service. He’s played a vital role in responding to numerous major incidents, and his presence is always reassuring, his impact, invariably positive.”

Earlier this year, Neil was also awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal, which is presented to members of the UK or Commonwealth Fire Services for distinguished service or gallantry.

Lisa Harrison from East Midlands Ambulance Service also received an award for helping save the life of a one-year-old Lincolnshire boy who fell into a pond. She spent 17 minutes on the phone instructing the father through giving a heart massage to revive his son.

Source: Lincolnshire County Council

Firefighters from across the UK will gather in Lincoln to demonstrate and improve their skills at a prestigious event.

The UK Rescue Challenge on August 24 and 25, hosted by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, will see 130 teams compete in a series of simulated rescues.

There will be a range of incidents and mock casualties fire teams will have to overcome. Incidents range from water rescues to high-rise buildings (using the University of Lincoln’s atrium) and a collapsed structure.

The biggest challenge, featuring only 50 teams, will be rescuing casualties from a car crash in 20 minutes.

Residents are invites to watch all the teams test their skills, plus a range of family fun activities to enjoy.

Activities include a graffiti artist, climbing wall, street performers, street first aid and a fly-past by the Red Arrows.

Audiences will also get the chance to meet some of the local team’s rescue dogs too.

This is the first time the event has featured a water challenge, thanks to the Brayford Pool and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue’s new boats — the biggest flood response fleets in the UK.

Dave Ramscar, chief fire officer from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: “Every day of the year, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue stands ready to respond to calls for help.

“But it’s not just flames that we tackle. Our specialist teams are on hand to deal with incidents like collapsed buildings, car crashes and international disasters.

“The Rescue Challenge will give you the opportunity to see them put their finely-honed skills into action, alongside other teams from across the UK.

“We’re very proud to be hosting the event, which will be a great showcase of the world-renowned quality of our nation’s fire service.”

Steve Apter, chairman of the UK Rescue Organisation, said: “The UK Rescue Challenge is the culmination of hours of dedicated training and honing of skills across a wide range of technical skills.

“It’s a world-class event, showcasing the pinnacle of the nation’s rescue expertise.”

To watch the challenges, visit the University of Lincoln and the Brayford Pool from 10am until 4pm.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue were called to a fire at a cafe today, April 15, on Lincoln’s High Street.

The fire started at Cafe M in St Mark’s Shopping Centre after closing time, after 5pm, and is believed to have started in the kitchen.

Three fire engines attended the scene, and the flames were extinguished by 6.10pm. Eyewitnesses described a large amount of smoke coming out of the shop’s doors.

Tenants above the cafe were evacuated, and no-one was injured.

Fire & Rescue are currently looking into the cause of the blaze.

Traffic on High Street was able to use the road, and the fire has not damaged the main area of the shop unit.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue are reaching out to residents in the county by signing up to top social networks.

The service joined Twitter and Facebook in an attempt to keep in touch with local people, spread important safety advice and encourage people to become on-call firefighters.

This means people will be able to share opinions with Fire and Rescue, and ask questions.

Fire and Rescue will also give out tips on avoiding fires, testing smoke alarms and sharing the latest news and events.

Assistant Chief fire officer Nick Borrill said: “One of our most important roles is to communicate with people.

“We do a lot of work to get out and meet locals but we can’t be everywhere at once.

“Our new social networking accounts will make it possible for us to reach more people and give them advice that could save lives.”

He added: “But this is about much more than explaining fire safety. We hope people will use Twitter and Facebook to get to know us and understand the personality behind the uniforms.

“And we hope to get to know them by listening to their experiences, feedback, interests and concerns.”

Source: Lincolnshire County Council