Arson Prevention in Rural Areas

Every year in the UK, 1,700 farm buildings and 66,000 acres of grassland are destroyed by fire. Half are started deliberately, either as an act of mindless vandalism or a fraudulent insurance claim.

A serious fire on a farm can affect the financial stability of even the most well run business and cause enormous damage to the environment.

Farms are particularly vulnerable to arson. Their isolated location, open boundaries and readily ignitable hay and straw make them an easy target. While arson attacks on farms and smallholdings may be difficult to eliminate, a number of simple precautions can substantially reduce the risk of attack. General advice on reducing the risk of falling victim to theft and vandalism follows the arson reduction advice.

Check list:

• Hay and straw should be removed from fields as soon as possible after harvesting
  
• Hay and straw should be stored:

  - separately from other buildings, particularly those housing fuels, agrochemicals and machinery
  
  - in stacks of reasonable size, spaced at least 10 metres apart
  
  - separately from livestock housing

• Petrol, diesel and other fuels should be stored in secure areas and storage tank outlets should be padlocked
  
• Fertilisers and pesticides should be kept under lock and key. The Health & Safety Executive can provide further advice on the storage and transportation of fertilisers, particularly ammonium nitrate
  
• Refuse should be disposed of safely and on a regular basis

Assessing the risk

A quick and simple survey will identify areas where an arsonist could strike. If there are certain areas you are unsure about, ask your local crime prevention officer or insurance advisor for assistance

Your survey may reveal the need to:

• Provide, repair or replace damaged fencing or gates
  
• Install intruder sensors and security lighting
  
• Maintain security of outbuildings
  
• Replace or re-site security and warning notices
  
• Maintain fire-fighting equipment in good order

Dogs and geese can give effective early warning of intruders however, dogs should not be allowed to roam freely

Prepare a fire routine and action plan and ensure that all farm workers know what to do in the event of a fire

If a fire breaks out:

• Call the fire brigade without delay
  
• Only attempt to fight the fire if it is safe to do so
  
• Send someone to the farm entrance to direct the fire brigade
  
• Prepare to evacuate livestock should the fire spread
  
• Prepare to use farm machinery to assist the fire brigade

Grassland and standing crops:

• The danger of fire during hot weather is self-evident, but many fires occur in the spring and late summer due to carelessness
  
• Don't allow the lighting of open fires or barbecues
  
• Ensure cigarettes etc are extinguished carefully
  
• Only allow camping and picnicking in selected areas
  
• Provide litter bins for bottles and other rubbish - and empty them regularly
  
• Ensure parents supervise their children
  
• Regularly check and maintain open water supplies for fire-fighting
  
• Ensure ‘Fire Danger’ warning signs are in place

General advice on crime reduction

The ease of access to most farms makes total security impossible, but there is a lot you can do to reduce the risks. And it doesn't all involve extra expense

What you can do to lessen your chances of becoming a victim:

• Try to secure or immobilise vehicles or equipment when not in use. If possible, remove machinery from fields, especially near roads
  
• If you own a quad or ride-on mower, fit a tracking device. As well as having a greater chance of getting your property back, your insurance company may also discount your insurance premium and lower the excess
  
• Always keep tools and small pieces of machinery locked away. Do not leave them lying around. Put all your valuable tools, trailers and machinery in one place and secure it
  
• Store valuable equipment and tools - chainsaws, welding and cutting equipment, vehicle spares and riding tack - in a secure building behind a strong locked door. Alternatively, build a metal storage cage inside a building and keep it locked
  
• Use good quality locks, locking bars and high security padlocks. Windows can be protected with metal bars. Lock outbuildings when you are not using them

• Keep the doors shut and locked. Alarm one shed, with a link direct to your house or get one that dials your phone. Use magnetic contacts that will activate the alarm if the door or window is opened. Don't use movement sensors as wildlife or objects that are likely to flap about in the wind can activate them
  
• Consider a driveway alarm that will activate whenever anyone passes it and breaks the infrared beam. These can just emit a noise so that you can hear if someone has arrived or can be linked to your house or phone
  
• Install sensor-controlled or dusk to dawn lighting. Make sure these are high enough and in such a position that no one can reach them to move the lights. Ensure that any small animal or bird will not set them off. If you have any neighbours, please ensure that the lights will not cause them difficulties
  
• Consider the use of small CCTV systems so you can watch animals in barns or yards from the comfort of your home. This can be especially useful during busy times like the lambing season
  
• If livestock is stolen, it is important that you can give the police an accurate description. Ear tags and horn brands help the police to identify stock. Freeze branding, hot branding or tattooing your postcode will also help. Take photographs of particularly valuable animals
  
• Grazing animals are an easy target for the thief. Regularly check the fields where animals are grazing, daily if possible
  
• Keep your hedges, fences and gates in good repair. Ditches form a natural barrier
  
• Field gate hinges should have capping hinges so they cannot be removed easily
  
• Cattle grids should be removable and locked out of position when not in use
  
• Use locking posts to obstruct large openings to yards etc.
  
• Identify your property by:

  - keeping a record of the serial number, chassis and model numbers of machines
  
  - painting your name on valuable tarpaulins in letters at least one foot high

• Use metal engravers to mark tools, vehicles and equipment with your postcode followed by the first two letters of your farm's name. Property marking kits or advice on property marking can be obtained from your local police crime reduction officer

Record details of all callers or any strange vehicles that drive into your property and let the police know about them. Even part registration numbers or descriptions of vehicles can be useful

What you can do to improve farmhouse security:

• Fit British Standard deadlocks to all outside doors, reinforced with strong bolts, which are preferably key-operated
  
• Fit window locks on ground floor windows and those near flat roofs and drain pipes
  
• The main door should have a security chain and wide-angle door viewer, so that you can see who is on the other side of the door
  
• A burglar alarm is useful but is often a last line of defence. Most only warn you when someone has already broken into your house. Your first priority should be to stop them getting that far
  
• Keep shotguns and firearms in a securely locked place and store ammunition separately
  
• If you have to keep cash or jewellery in the house, a safe is a good idea.
  
• Keep a record of your valuable possessions. Where possible, use a security marking device to mark them with your postcode followed by your house number or the first two letters of your farm's name. Photograph your most valuable items with a ruler to indicate size.
  
• Don't advertise that you are not at home by leaving notes for traders or garage doors open. Never leave a key under a flowerpot or doormat
  
• When your house is empty, ask a neighbour or your local farmwatch to keep an eye on your farm. Be prepared to do the same for them

Having installed improved security, use it. If you are operating machinery in a farmyard you will not hear a car pull up and a burglar enter your house.

Farmwatch schemes:

Encourage everyone in the farming community to be vigilant and to report anything suspicious to the police. It also encourages them to pool their knowledge; people who live in the farming community have a very specialised knowledge, which even the police may find hard to achieve.

The main aims of farmwatch are to:

• Reduce opportunities for crime and vandalism
  
• Strengthen community spirit so that everyone can play a part in protecting their property
  
• Improve two-way communication
  
• Reduce the fear of crime

Keep up to date on the current crime trends in your area. A good way to do this is to join your local farmwatch. Your local police crime prevention officer can advise you. Encourage your employees to be security conscious and look out for strange vans or cars, a registration number may give the police a vital lead.