Home fire safety check target reached!
10,000 homes in Warwickshire are now safer thanks to the work of Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service.
A target to carry out 10,000 Home Fire Safety Checks was set by the Fire Authority for WFRS to deliver as part of the Fire Services Improvement Plan. This target has now been reached a month early with 10,300 being completed by the end of February. This is a 37% increase on 2009/2010, where 7539 home fire safety checks were carried out.
To help achieve this Firefighters have been working within local communities and with partner agencies to target those homes most at risk. This includes the elderly, young families and people with disabilities.
The aim of a home fire safety check is to identify the potential for fires in a home and prevent them before they start. During the visit, firefighters will look at key elements such as whether there are smoke alarms in the home, overloaded plug sockets and highlight issues such as trip hazards and escape routes. Each visit is tailored to the occupiers’ individual circumstances, giving one to one fire safety advice.
Chief Fire Officer, Graeme Smith said:
“Reaching our target of carrying out 10,000 home fire safety checks is a real achievement for all those involved. Many people who die in house fires are already dead before the 999 call is made, something as simple as a home fire safety check could stop this from happening and increase the chances of people getting the early warning they need. “
Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Councillor Richard Hobbs said:
“Home fire safety checks are a very important element of the work we do to prevent injuries and deaths and reduce the risk in Warwickshire. The service is delivered to our most vulnerable residents who need preventative measures in place to reduce the risk of a fire happening in the first place. I would like to congratulate the service on achieving it’s target and would like to thank them for their commitment to delivering 10,000 home fire safety checks in the last year. “
For more information on how to apply for a free home fire safety check log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue