Safety Central

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has an impressive track record in preventing people of all ages from coming to harm in the home, on the road and in the community. Our state-of-the-art Safety Centre takes this work to a whole new level.

We have a purpose-built facility dedicated to public safety. Visitors will learn how to stay safe, well and independent by experiencing a range of hazards in four realistic learning zones that simulate the environments in which injury and harm are most likely to occur.

The Centre is opposite Lymm Services at the junction of the M6 and M56 near Warrington.

It shares a single, integrated building with the fire station for the area, therefore offering a glimpse inside a working fire and rescue service.

An immersive space for learning

Designed to blend into its surroundings while being a stimulating and exciting place to visit, the striking circular building houses:

• a bright and spacious welcome area that also serves as a flexible meeting and breakout space, offering visitors views into the fire station training ground

• an immersive 270^o cinema room where tours of the Centre begin

• Safer Choices - a series of interactive scenarios encouraging groups to consider the consequences of their decisions, including a police custody suite, courtroom, convenience store and cyberroom

• Safe as Houses - a lifesize three-bedroom family home, garage and garden, rigged to not only showcase the most common causes of accidents and fires, but also technologies and equipment to help prevent injury and promote independence

• Streetsafe - a dramatic urban environment complete with a road, bridge, pelican crossing, cycle path, railway station, canalside, alleyway, building site and substation

• Ruralrisk - recreating Cheshire’s great outdoors - indoors. This zone highlights dangers in the open countryside, forest and lakes, on farms and on rural roads

• a dining space for visitors

Tailor-made programmes

The Centre delivers learning aimed at people most at risk of accidents, injuries and harm and draws on the expertise of partner agencies committed to keeping our communities safe. Programmes include sessions for:

• new parents, guardians and carers - equipping them with the knowledge and skills to keep children under five safe from the most common causes of accidents

• Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils - encouraging the right choices at home, on the road and while playing and the consequences of their decisions on themselves and others

• Key Stage 3 students and above - how to stay safe and take responsibility as they become increasingly independent at home and in their communities

• Uniform youth groups - an escape room style session covering how to stay safe at home and out and about, as well as developing teamwork and leadership skills.

• Community groups - a session for older adults around safety in the home, out in the community and online, as well as how to stay independent.

We are proud to be part of the UK’s safety centre movement, playing an active role in the Safety Centre Alliance.

Visit the Safety Central website