Avoiding Fire Afloat!
With an increase in fires on Warwickshire waterways, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) in partnership with the Boat Safety Scheme are asking how safe are you on the water?
In the last few months there have been two serious boat fires in Warwickshire, one in Alvecote Marina and one on Lutterworth road in Brinklow. Both incidents have had a dramatic impact on the owners lives and in one incident they not only lost all of their personal belongings, but also their home.
In order to reduce the risk of fires on boats, WFRS has stepped up its fire safety campaign with the launch of a new handbook ‘Fire Safety for Boats’ and a boat fire safety scheme.
The new booklet will be available to all boat owners who request a free boat fire safety check through the new scheme. As part of the checks, boat owners will be given advice on the safe use and storage of Petrol and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, cooking appliances and general safety advice. To find out more please contact: 01926 466282.
Group Manager, Nigel Grant said:
“After attending a number of boat fires over the years, I know the devastating effects fire can cause. When a boat is involved in fire, due to the remote location of moorings, it often results in the total destruction of the boat. For those who live on the waterways it can mean the loss of their home.”
As well as launching the safety booklet, WFRS is also carrying out a boat safety survey on their web site http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue. Information obtained from the survey will be used to create a profile of boat usage and ownership and will also be used as part of the services risk reduction initiatives. Everyone who fills in a survey will be entered into a free prize draw to win a boat fire safety kit consisting of a fire extinguisher, smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide detector.