A FIRE service has pledged that over the next decade 125 more people will still be alive because of their efforts.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority spells out its vision 125 Alive in its annual performance plan.

The service says the 125 more people alive pledge will be achieved because the service will significantly reduce the likelihood and severity of fire, along with other emergencies.

"We will achieve this through the dedication of our staff working in partnership with other agencies in the community," says its annual report.

Meanwhile, the authority's objective aims to reduce fire deaths and injuries in the home by 25 per cent by April 2009 and by 40 per cent by April 2014.

This, it points out, is more ambitious than the Government's target by 2010 of 20 per cent.

It also aims to reduce deaths and injuries from other emergencies by 25 per cent (up to April 2009) and 40 per cent (up to April 2014).

Spelling out how these figures will be achieved, it is working for competency levels of 90 per cent for all new staff within three years of taking up a new role.

Much more emphasis is being placed on fire prevention and detection as underlined in the service's planned spending details. In the year just ended £759,000 was spent on this. By 2009 that figure will have risen to £1,915,500.