We attended an exercise at Hatfield House in collaboration with Herts Police East of England Ambulance Service and Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Watch our behind the scenes footage, or read more about what we got up to in the exercise here: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-council/news/news-blog-articles/behind-the-scenes-exercise-rainbow-at-hatfield-house.aspx

We’re at Hatfield House for a training exercise this morning, so don’t be alarmed if you see a lot of fire engines in the area.

Today, as you put your clocks forward, remember to test your smoke alarm. If you have vulnerable neigbours or relatives nearby, please take some time to check they have a working smoke alarm too.

Between April and October last year, we were called to 1,259 deliberate fires, with arsonists particularly targeting bins and discarded rubbish, as well as a number of fires started in woods and scrubland. We're asking residents to keep an eye out for potential risks and take some simple steps to reduce the risk in their neighbourhoods: • Keep bins secure and away from buildings • Don’t let rubbish build up • Report fly tipping • Report any small fire • Report abandoned vehicles • Stop children from carrying or playing with matches and lighters • Consider lighting and other security measures to protect property

Our firefighters are called to an average of six deliberate fires a day. Help us reduce the risk in your neighbourhood with some simple steps https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-council/news/news-blog-articles/fire-service-urges-action-against-arson.aspx

It's Arson Awareness Week, so we’re asking residents to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Arson is extremely dangerous, and puts lives and property at risk. Be on the lookout for anyone starting fires and report any emergencies to 999, or use the non-emergency 101 number if you’re unsure. Arson is often linked to other anti-social behaviour, so make sure you report anything suspicious to 101. Report fly-tipped waste to your district or borough council, as this can often be a target for arson.

We're starting to carry specialist pet oxygen masks on our fire engines, thanks to generous donations from animal lovers The masks, provided by a charity called Smokey Paws and paid for by donations, are part of a kit specially tailored for cats, dogs and other small household pets, which will help us save animals caught up in house fires. Here's Reqs our fire investigation dog and Gigi the hamster modelling the new kit.

Happy Mother's Day. We love this video from our colleagues in South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, celebrating firefighting mums. https://youtu.be/wOn5nDP80nA

We've rolled out new breathing apparatus to make our firefighters safer on the job. Read more about how we've upgraded this equipment: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-council/news/news-blog-articles/new-breathing-apparatus-for-hertfordshire-firefighters.aspx

It's International Women's Day and we've joined up with the #PressforProgress campaign to celebrate women’s roles in making our society a safer place, challenge stereotypical views about emergency service roles and encourage more women to consider a career in blue light services.

It's extremely dangerous to enter freezing water as hypothermia can quickly set in. Luckily this incident had a happy outcome, but they don't all end this way. If you encounter an incident like this, dial 999 and wait for us to arrive so we can deal with the situation safely. We attended a similar incident today at Park Street, St Albans, where our Water Rescue Unit rescued a dog from a frozen lake. If you are taking your dog for a walk in this weather, please be sure to keep your pets on a leash, or very close to you, to keep both you and them safe. http://bit.ly/2FIDOoC

Rickmansworth firefighter Michael Joseph flew to Mumbai last month to train firefighters for the upcoming Combat 360 Challenge. Read more: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-council/news/news-blog-articles/rickmansworth-firefighter-flies-to-mumbai-to-train-firefighters-ahead-of-international-challenge.aspx