FIRE chiefs are heading to the US in a bid to learn new safety measures and improve services for residents in the North-East.

A working party from Cleveland Fire Authority will visit fire departments in Chicago, Phoenix and Scottsdale next week, to determine best practice as part of the national fire service's newly-formed Fire Authority Improvement Group.

Fire officers from Cleveland, Merseyside and Staffordshire make up the improvement group, which aims to further development services for their three communities.

The group is now going the extra mile to find international best practice from world leaders in fire safety - including the US.

Cleveland's chief fire officer, John Doyle, said: "These are exciting times of change in the fire service.

"We are continually facing challenges in our aim to improve services to the community, and we are not afraid to be different in our approach to finding new ways to deliver excellence.

"We see partnership with like-minded organisations at home and abroad as an innovative way to explore and share best practice, which benefits our communities."

Mr Doyle said the authority's vision was to be the best fire and rescue service at protecting the community in the UK.

He added: "In the past 30 years, the US has had enormous success in the reduction of incidents of fires and their effects.

"The main contributory factor appears to be the introduction of a national fire safety campaign, consisting of a comprehensive fire safety education programme, extensive use of smoke alarms and increased numbers of both commercial and domestic sprinklers.

"Emergency preparedness in the community since September 11 has also been heightened through their Citizens Corps initiative.

"We are looking forward to forging international links with the US fire service and bringing back ideas which will be of benefit, not only in our brigade area but throughout the national fire and rescue service."