FIREFIGHTERS say that 21 lives have been saved through a project to cut the number of deaths in road accidents and fires.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service launched its 125 Alive vision in 2004.

The scheme aims to make sure that 125 people who would otherwise have died in road accidents or fires will still be alive by 2014.

The latest figures from the service have showed that in the first three years of the project, 21 lives were saved against a target of 15.

This has been calculated by comparing the number of people who have died in fires and at road accidents attended by the fire service, against a baseline figure of 52 deaths per year.

To achieve the 125 Alive target, the service aims to progressively reduce the number of deaths from these two causes to 31 per year by 2014. The figures are contained in a draft of the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority's 2007-08 corporate plan.

A joint statement by county councillor Caroline Seymour, chairwoman of the fire authority, and chief fire officer Nigel Hutchinson, said: "The number of fires is decreasing and the number of casualties associated with them is also falling.

"This is due to the ongoing efforts of our staff and partners to reduce the risk by education, fitting smoke alarms and taking a range of positive actions with particular risk groups, including vulnerable adults.

"Much of our work is associated with reducing the number of non-fire incidents. Road traffic collisions are a cause of far more fatalities and serious injuries than fires.

"Through our work in partnership with other agencies, we believe that we are contributing positively to the reduction in fatalities and serious injuries."

The plan also sets out targets for the next two to seven years, including reducing the number of accidental fire-related deaths and injuries in the home by 25 per cent by April 2009 and by 40 per cent by April 2014, and reducing the number of deliberate fires by 15 per cent by April 2009 and by 25 per cent by April 2014.