Young people learn important safety lessons at Emergency Services event

Young people from Caerphilly county borough learned some important safety lessons recently at an informative emergency services event.

The event at Abercarn Fire Station was organised by Caerphilly County Borough Council Youth Services' The Hub team together with the Risca Neighbourhood Policing Team.

The day aimed to encourage young people to engage with the emergency services, learn more about what they do and what happens when someone dials 999. Key safety messages were also delivered during the day, including the fact that making hoax 999 calls waste the time of the emergency services and can be extremely dangerous.

Officers from the dog unit and roads policing unit, as well as neighbourhood officers from Gwent Police took part in the event, as did South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Officers from Abercarn Fire Station, Caerphilly County Borough Council's Community Safety Wardens as well as local paramedics.

During the day, the young people had the opportunity to take part in fun, educational activities including a demonstration from Gwent Police dog handlers, a controlled fire demonstration from the fire service and an opportunity to have a look around the council's mobile CCTV van.

They also had the opportunity to have their blood sugar levels and blood pressure tested by the paramedics.

Neighbourhood Inspector for Bargoed and Rhymney, Inspector Fran Richley also donated fine art prints of his paintings of a police car, police helicopter and a Formula One race car to some of the attendees. Three of the young people received the prints, which also had messages on them from the emergency services.

Cabinet member for education and leisure, Cllr Phil Bevan said, "I fully support events such as this, which help engage young people with fun and informative activities, while at the same time helping them to learn some very important safety lessons."

PC Gaynor Lugg from the Risca Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "We wanted to hold an interactive event that explained in more detail the work of the emergency services. I hope that they enjoyed themselves and took away some valuable lessons."