County Fire Officer expresses his sympathy
Warwickshire County Councils, County Fire Officer, William Brown would like to express his sincere sympathy to all those who have been affected by the tragic fire which occurred at the Penhallow Hotel in Newquay during the early hours of Saturday morning.
He believes that following this dreadful incident and the recent large fire that occurred within the Arcade and Shopping complex in Skegness on the 17th August, it is now appropriate to remind all Owners and Managers of buildings where members of the general public have access, to ensure that the general fire precautions within their buildings are maintained. He also suggests that an up to date assessment of all fire risks to your premises are recorded and any findings should be acted upon.
William Brown said: “It is a legal responsibility of all Owners or Managers of these types of buildings to carry out a self-assessment of fire risk and to ensure adequate safety measures are installed and maintained.
“These measures include; the fitting of appropriate fire fighting equipment including fire alarms and fire detection equipment, the nomination of competent persons to undertake first aid fire fighting measures, to provide the relevant person with the required training, ensuring exit routes are maintained and kept clear at all times, to ensure emergency lighting is installed and maintained and to train all staff in what they are required to do in an emergency.
“This may seem like a long list of things to do, but it is essential to ensure the safety of not only your customers, but also your staff.”
Members of the public should be reassured that Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service has a programme of inspection of all commercial buildings to ensure that fire safety measures within these buildings are maintained and will take enforcement action whenever required to ensure compliance.
Further advice and guidance on the legal fire prevention and protection responsibilities for commercial buildings can be found on our web site at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue or by calling 01926 466282 Monday to Wednesday.