Appendix 1: Field work contact with AFRS personnel

Appendix 3: Letter to HFSV participant

I am a student at UWE doing research in Upperfield, Shiregreen and Hilton. I would like to invite you to a small group discussion, to be held at the xx Centre, Shiregreen, on the 13^th July 2009, at 11am. We will be talking about what you like and dislike about living in your neighbourhood, what you think people in your neighbourhood are like, and whether you have had any contact with the fire service (although it doesn’t matter if you haven’t).

You will be paid £10 to thank you for coming to the group, and refreshments (tea/coffee and biscuits) will be provided. The discussion should take one hour.

If you come to the group, I will not tell other people that you came to the discussion, and I will not tell people who said what in our conversations. Because this work is being supported by AFRS, the overall results of all these discussions will be passed back to the fire service to help them improve the services that they provide, but they will not know who said what.

If you would like any more information, please call me on 0117 3283667 or email kate2.matheson@uwe.ac.uk

I will be making follow up calls in the next couple of weeks, to ask if you would like to take part in this research. Alternatively, you can get in touch by phoning or emailing me. I hope that this research will help to make your neighbourhood a safer place, and it is important that local people are involved.

Many thanks

Kate

Appendix 4: Script for Focus Groups

My name’s Kate. I’m a researcher at UWE, up in Frenchay, and I’m doing some research about relationships between the fire service and different neighbourhoods. This is my colleague (Billy/Anja). They are here to help me with the equipment, and things, but won’t actually be taking part.

I’m hoping this will take a bit less than an hour. Before we get started, can I just make a couple of points.

Firstly, I’d like to reassure you all that I will treat everything you say in confidence. This means that, although I might quote from what you say to me, it will be written in such a way that no one will know who said what. Even though I am recording this, no one except me will listen to the recording.

I’ll leave you all my contact details, and if you have any further thoughts, or questions or concerns about your involvement, please do get in touch.

Also, I’d like to ask you to respect each others confidentiality, and not talk about what people have said in here once you leave.

While we’re talking, it would be good if you can try and talk one at a time, and not interrupt each other. I’ll try to make sure everyone gets a turn to talk. And do please be respectful of what other people are saying.

Is that okay? Are there any questions?

Okay, that’s enough of the formalities.

Section one

The first thing I’d like you to do is just to go round saying your name, whereabouts you live (just the neighbourhood, not your actual address) and how long you’ve lived there.

So, I’ll go first. As you know, my name’s Kate, I live in St Pauls, and I’ve lived there for 7 years.

Section two

Great, ok. Now it would be useful to talk about whether you like living in your neighbourhood.

(Would anyone like to start)

And do you think it’s getting better? Or worse?

And what particular aspects do you like or dislike:

Is it clean?

Do you feel safe?

What are your neighbours like? (would you ask them for a favour, would they ask you?)

Are there good facilities / things to do?

Do you get involved with things in the neighbourhood? (churches, parks groups, clubs, voluntary work)

Are there other things you like / dislike

When you tell people you’re from your neighbourhood, what do they think?

And what do you think if people tell you they’re from your neighbourhood? What about if they’re from a different neighbourhood?

Do you think people in your neighbourhood are different to people from other neighbourhoods – like ‘we all keep ourselves to ourselves…’

Do you think where you live tells people anything about you in general

(what do people think about you when you say you’re from wherever)

That’s great thanks. Okay, now I’d like to ask some slightly different questions

Show picture

An easy one to start with, here’s a fire engine.

What does this make you think about?

When did you last see the fire service

What were they doing?

Is this the sort of thing they usually do in your neighbourhood?

Have you seen them doing anything else in your neighbourhood?

(Do you see them doing useful things in your neighbourhood?)

(my little boys love seeing fire engines, would you point out fire engines to your children / other children)

So here are some pictures of fire fighters doing some other sorts of things, like mountain bike patrols, a schools visit and a display in the supermarket.

Have you seen any fire fighters doing any of this sort of thing?

What did you think about that?

Do you like seeing them in your neighbourhood?

Do things like this make you change your ideas about the fire service?

Did you know they did things like this?

Do you think they should be doing this?

Okay, moving on, Have you or your family had a home fire safety visit? (show pictures of HFSV) (that’s when some fire fighters come to your home, go through some safety information and check or install smoke alarms)

Show picture of the booklet

Was it useful?

was it how you thought it would be

have you done things differently as a result

(like stop smoking, fit a smoke alarm)

Do you think HFSVs could be done differently? Or better?

If you or your family haven’t had a home fire safety visit, and would like one, I can give you details at the end.

So, you’ve all talked a bit about your personal experiences with the fire service, now I’d like you to think a bit more broadly.

The fire service say that sometimes it’s hard for them to get their messages across

(for example, people don’t come and ask them questions at fetes, or are rude to them)

Why do you think this might be? Do you think this is a problem in (wherever)

What do you think they could do to make this better? (for example, get out more / less, different uniforms, different messages)

Crews attacked by firework Monday 05 November 2007 23.03 Hill Avenue, Totterdown, Bristol Crews were called to a bonfire in the middle of Victoria Park and on arrival they noticed youths playing with rockets in the park. As they attempted to tackle the fire two youths lit a rocket and fired it horizontally at crews. It landed around 20 feet away. Fortunately no one was hurt, but Avon Fire & Rescue Service is disappointed with this kind of behaviour. Not only were the youths putting their own safety at risk, but they were also endangering the safety of firefighters, who were there to protect the community. Fireworks can be extremely dangerous and can also cause horrific injuries if used irresponsibly.

Show press release, read out.

So this is a press release about an attack on fire fighters in Bedminster a couple of years ago.

Do you ever hear about attacks on fire fighters?

What sort of people do you think do this?

Why do you think people do this?

What do you think the fire service should do?

How do you think people feel about the fire service? How do you feel about the fire service?

Section four

Ok, that’s great.

Thanks so much for your contributions, and for helping me with my research.

Before we finish, I’d just like to go round once again, and see if anyone would like to make any further comments, about their neighbourhood, or about the fire service.

Great, thanks for all your help. Before you go, I’d just like to remind you once again about respecting each others confidentiality, as I will respect yours. Also, please take one of these leaflets, which includes some details about how you can get more information about the things we’ve been talking about.