The Herts Fire and Rescue Service has launched a blueprint for the future for public consultation. Its new Community Safety Plan is proposing a number of developments and targets over the next 12 months. These will include - Developing and introducing a

The Herts Fire and Rescue Service has launched "a blueprint for the future" for public consultation.

Its new Community Safety Plan is proposing a number of developments and targets over the next 12 months.

These will include

- Developing and introducing a schools education strategy

- Introducing an elderly advocate scheme

- Continuing to promote and support the need for sprinklers in domestic and industrial premises

Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher said the proposals included a raft of community safety initiatives and more targeted inter-action with the community.

He stressed that lessons learned from a tower block blaze in Stevenage when two firefighters and a resident were killed would be integrated into the service's policies and procedures.

County Councillor Keith Emsall, executive member for community safety on Herts County Council, described the proposals as "a blueprint for the future".

The safety plan outlines the work of the past year which saw the service attend 12,406 calls, which was the lowest number for the past five years.

The highest number of emergency calls were to road accidents of which the service attended 594 which resulted in a reported 693 people being injured and 20 killed.

In comparison, there were 823 dwelling fires which resulted in a reported 258 causalities and three deaths.

- The public consultation period will run until November 8 and the Community Safety Plan is available online at www.hertsdirect.org/fire