Darren Todd

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is one of six metropolitan brigades in England and one of the busiest in the country. It covers the districts of Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. West Yorkshire is ranked as the top fire and rescue authority in the region - and one of the best in the country. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority is responsible for the county's fire and rescue service, which serves a population of more than two million people spread over almost 800 square miles. Emergency cover is provided 24/7, 365 days of the year. Trained and highly skilled firefighters respond to a number of incidents, including fires, road traffic collisions, flooding, people trapped and unsafe structures, to name but a few. Emergency 999 operators are trained to manage incidents and provide essential survival guidance. WYFRS is also committed to preventing fires and other emergency incidents, with both specialist officers and firefighters visiting vulnerable people in their homes to provide Safe and Well checks. Prevention teams based around West Yorkshire work in communities and with young people to drive down accidents and injuries. Last year, firefighters and specialist staff carried out 309,719 home fire safety checks. The Protection department provides guidance and support in discharging statutory fire safety duties, working with businesses in West Yorkshire and beyond. In addition, there are a number of specialist support services which provide vital expertise to enable the brigade to function 24/7and provide a first-class fire and rescue service. The support services include functions such as ICT, specialist training, media and PR, HR, transport, finance and property services to name but a few.