Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service Plan 2012 to 2015

Annual report 2010 to 2011

Reducing our effect on the environment

In 2009 we said that we would aim to reduce the effect fires and other incidents have on the environment by 10% by 2012 (measured using our 2008 baseline).

We also wanted to reduce our carbon footprint (the amount of carbon dioxide we produce) by 20% by 2012 (measured using our 2006 baseline).

We have made some good progress against these targets and have put in place a number of initiatives that help reduce the effect we have on the environment, including:

introducing targets to monitor and reduce the amount of energy and water we use at fire stations;
using fuel that is 95% diesel and 5% biofuel (an environmentally-friendly alternative to fossil fuel) in our vehicles; and
installing double glazing in many fire stations.

This has helped produce a 7% reduction on our carbon footprint since 2007.

We are now taking part in the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Management Programme, which is providing us with good support to identify projects for reducing our carbon footprint.

These are to include:

installing double glazing and improving the heating and lighting at our headquarters;
introducing automatic meter reading to improve the way we monitor the amount of energy we use;
using more efficient ways of travelling and avoiding the need to travel where possible; and
using a network of our staff, who have volunteered to be ‘environmental champions’, to help us to identify and put in place energy-saving improvements.

The 30% reduction in the number of fires (compared with our 2008 baseline) has contributed to reducing our carbon footprint. Fewer fires mean we are travelling less, and this means less damage to the environment.