Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service commits to ensuring digital accessibility for everyone. We're constantly working to improve the site better for all users and meet accessibility guidelines.
Conformance Status
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set out how to make websites accessible to everyone. This website partially meets WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards. This means that most of the site is accessible, but some areas are still being improved.
On this website you can find out about latest incidents, fire safety advice, community safety information, and how to contact us. We want this information to be easy for everyone to access.
How we support Accessibility
We are taking the following steps to make our website as accessible as possible:
- We will carry out regular manual and automated testing using screen reader software.
- We will write in plain English throughout the site.
- We will increase the number of documents available in accessible formats, including HTML and accessible PDFs.
- We provide the ReciteMe assistive toolbar - select the accessibility button at the top of the page to use it.
ReciteMe lets you:
- Change colours, typeface, and font size.
- Listen to most of the website using a built-in screen reader.
- Use a screen mask to help with reading.
- Zoom in using a built-in magnification tool.
- Translate most of the website into 130+ languages, many of which can also be read aloud.
- Find out more in the ReciteMe user guide.
Areas we are working to improve
We know that some parts of this website are not yet fully accessible. We have identified the issues below and are actively working to fix them:
- The "Back to Top" links do not have enough colour contrast and are missing a visible label for keyboard users. Target fix date: October 2026.
- Some pages have heading levels that are out of order, which can make it harder to navigate using a screen reader. Target fix date: October 2026.
- Some links say "Read More" without explaining what they link to, which can be confusing. Target fix date: October 2026.
- A small number of images that act as links are missing descriptive text (alt text), so screen readers cannot explain what they do. Target fix date: October 2026.
- Some PDF documents are not fully accessible — they may be missing the structure that screen readers need to navigate them. Target fix date: April 2027.
- The "Contact Us" form is difficult for screen readers to use because some fields are missing labels or are not clearly grouped. Target fix date: October 2026.
While we fix these issues, please contact us if you need information in a different format, we're happy to help.
Feedback and Alternative Formats
We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of this website. Tell us if you have any accessibility needs or require documents in accessible formats such as large print, audio, or plain text.
- Email: diversityteam1@merseyfire.gov.uk
- Phone: 0151 296 4236
- Response time: We aim to respond to feedback within 5 business days.
How we assessed the website
This website was assessed by Embed Inclusion Ltd in August 2026. They carried out an independent review of key pages to evaluate how well the site meets accessibility standards.
Version Control
- Version: 1.0
- Published: 10 August 2026
- Next review date: August 2027
- Owner: Cultural & Inclusion Team