ITS work with community safety and fire prevention has won the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service two national awards.

The Service won an award for its partnership working at the Fire and Rescue Service Equality and Diversity Awards, and won the ‘Community Safety Team of the Year’ at the Fire Excellence Awards.

“We know our work is improving the safety of people across Cheshire, Halton and Warrington, but it is fantastic to have our efforts formally recognised in this way,” said chief fire officer Steve McGuirk.

The Equality and Diversity award was in recognition of the Service’s Vulnerable People Project, a campaign in partnership with health services, social care and Age Concern to target older people.

Firefighters extended their usual home safety assessments for elderly people to include advice about malnutrition, cold weather, loneliness, falls and finances.

The Service’s work in community safety won it a Fire Excellence accolade.

Work singled out included a student safety campaign and more than 60,000 home safety assessments carried out by the service last year.