New design on Derbyshire fire engine warns about danger of knives

A Derbyshire fire engine has been wrapped in a special safety message to raise awareness of the issues and dangers of carrying knives.
The fire engine promotes safety messages around carrying knives.The fire engine promotes safety messages around carrying knives.
The fire engine promotes safety messages around carrying knives.

Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service’s latest wrapped engine showcases the ‘Knife Angel’, which was displayed outside Derby Cathedral last year, to raise awareness of knife crime.

Firefighters have been working in collaboration with Derbyshire Police for several years, and it is hoped that this latest joint message supporting the national anti-knife crime campaign, Operation Sceptre, will help reduce knife crime across the county.

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Derbyshire’s chief fire officer Gavin Tomlinson said: “Sadly knife crime is an issue that is reported all too frequently in the news.

“Last year we saw the Knife Angel, a statue made from more than 100,000 seized knives, come to Derby Cathedral as part of a national tour to raise awareness of the dangers and issues associated with knife crime.

“As part of our ongoing collaboration with our colleagues at Derbyshire Police, I am proud that we have been able to support their anti-knife crime message and carry on the legacy of the Knife Angel’s visit to Derby, as the fire engine and its important anti-knife crime message is seen across the county.”

Superintendent Sarah McAughtrie, who is in charge of Derbyshire Police’s response to knife crime, said: “We are very pleased that our partners, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, have taken this step in promoting the anti-knife crime message.

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“In Derbyshire, we have witnessed the sad, fatal consequences that carrying a knife can lead to and so anything that can be done to dissuade people from carrying them has our support.

“While we play our part in the fight against knife crime, it is all of our responsibilities to make a stand.

“The visit of the Knife Angel to Derby last year was such a positive event that it is fantastic that its legacy and image will now be seen across the streets of Derbyshire on the side of this fire engine.”

The service currently has two other wrapped engines – one wrapped in rainbow colours in support of LGBT+ and one promoting the role of an on-call firefighter.