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Accessibility

Keyboard Shortcuts

If you have difficulty in using a mouse or similar devices, you can use this sites keyboard shortcuts. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service have implemented the Government access key system and information on how to use each of the keyboard shortcuts is outlined below:

1 - Home page
2 - not used 
3 - Site Map
4 - Search
5 - not used
6 - Help using this site
7 - not used
8 - not used
9 - Contact Us

0 - Accessibility

 

S - Skip navigation 

T - Top of page

P - Print Friendly version of page 

G - Low Graphics version of page

 

A - About us

H - Fire Safety at Home

B - Fire Safety for Business (legislation)

C - Commercial Services

L - Alternative Languages

M - Community

R - Recruitment

You can also navigate through the links on the site (in order) by using the 'TAB' key (---->|) and pressing either 'ENTER' or 'RETURN' on locating the link you wish to view.  This may be useful on the Site Map page (Alt+3+ENTER) as it includes links to every page on the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service website.

Using the access keys depends on the web browser you are using: -

  • Internet Explorer 5+ (PC) - Hold down the 'ALT' key, press the number or letter of the access key, release both keys then press 'ENTER',
  • Internet Explorer 4 (PC) - Hold down the 'ALT' key and press the number or letter of the access key,
  • Internet Explorer 5+ (Mac) - Hold down the 'CTRL' key and press the number or letter of the access key,
  • Internet Explorer 4.5 (Mac) - Access keys are not supported,
  • Netscape 6 and earlier - Access keys are not supported,
  • Netscape 7 (PC & Mac) - Hold down the 'ALT' key and select the number/letter of the access key,
  • Netscape 5 and earlier (PC & Mac) - Access keys are not supported,
  • FireFox 1.0 (PC, Mac & Linux) - Hold down the 'ALT' key and press the number or letter of the access key,
  • Firefox 2.0 - Alt+Shift+key on Windows, Ctrl+key on Mac OS X, and Ctrl+Shift+key on Unix,
  • Mozilla (Mac) - Hold down the 'CTRL' key and press the number or letter of the access key,
  • Safari and Omniweb (Mac) - Hold down the 'CTRL' key and press the number or letter of the access key,
  • Konquerer ( Linux) - Hold down the 'CTRL' key and press the number or letter of the access key,
  • Opera - Hold down the 'SHIFT' key and press 'ESCAPE', release both keys and then press the number or letter of the access key.

 

Viewing

The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service web-site has been designed to work in web browsers on both PC and Apple Mac including: -

 

  • Internet Explorer 4.0 and above
  • Mozilla 1.0 and above
  • Opera 3.5 and above

  • Netscape 4.0 and above.

 

In addition, a 'Low Graphics' version of the site can be viewed by clicking the 'Low Graphics' link located at the top of every page.

 

Text Size

To alter the text size across this site, select the magnifying glass (located at the top left of every page) with a  +  to increase the font size or the magnifying glass with a  -  to decrease it.

 

Alternatively, most browsers allow you to resize the text on a web-site through the browsers own menu systems: -

Internet Explorer 4:

Choose: View > Internet Options > Accessibility and check the 'Ignore font sizes specified on web pages' and then click 'OK' and 'OK' to apply the changes.  From then on, you can alter the text size choosing: View> Text Size followed by the text size you wish to use.

 

Internet Explorer (version 5+):
Choose: Tools > Internet Options > Accessibility and check the 'Ignore font sizes specified on web pages' option and then click 'OK' and 'OK' to apply the changes.  From then on, you can alter the text size choosing: View> Text Size followed by the text size you wish to use.

 

Opera:

Zoom the contents of a document (text and images) from 20% to 1000% either from the drop-down zoom box at the top of the browser or by simply pressing + to zoom in or - to zoom out.

 

You can also alter the font size and colour by choosing: File > Preferences > Fonts and colors.  Change the fonts and colours of the text, links, background and minimum text size to those that you wish to use.

 

Mozilla/Firefox:

Select: Tools > Options > General > Fonts & Colors.  You can then select a minimum font size to be used on screen so as the text on any pages that you look at will be displayed in a font no smaller than that specified.  Press 'OK' to apply the changes.

If you have a mouse with a scroll wheel, many browsers will also allow you to 'zoom' and increase/decrease the text size on the page by pressing the 'Ctrl' key and rotating your mouses scroll wheel.

 

For further advice on customising your computer and making the web easier to use, visit the BBC's Accessibility web site.