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21/10/2004
Free fire alarms offered to England's deprived households
Over one million deprived hoouseholds in England are set to be offered free smoke alarms and fire safety advice as part of a £25 million fire prevention package announced today.
Local fire and rescue authorities already carry out some free home fire safety checks, but new funding will see 1.25 million households benefit from a massive expansion of this work over the next four years.
Priority will go to vulnerable people, mainly the elderly, young families and black and ethnic minority groups, who, statistics show, are more at risk of house fires. The new scheme is expected to drive down fires, deaths and injuries in the home and could save more than 20 lives a year.
Fire statistics for 2003 found that in England 301 people died in accidental fires in the home. More than three quarters of these deaths were in properties without a smoke alarm, or with a smoke alarm that did not work. People in the poorest 10% of electoral wards are five times more likely to be injured by fire than those in the richest 10%.
Fire Safety Minister Phil Hope said: "When facing up to risks and dangers, most people want personal contact and practical help from someone they trust and this funding will offer just that, especially to deprived areas and communities."
Chief Fire Officer Phil Toase, Director of Safety and Standards for the Chief Fire Officers' Association, said that good, professional advice, coupled with the installation of smoke alarms, were proven to be effective in reducing deaths and injuries from fire:
"We believe that this type of proactive community fire safety work has already saved many lives throughout the country. With the extra resources being provided by the ODPM, fire and rescue authorities will be able to achieve even more success in eliminating fire deaths and injuries," he said.
Most recipients are expected to be owner-occupiers or those renting in the private sector since. Tenants of housing associations and local authorities usually have fire safety measures in place.
(gmcg/mb)
Local fire and rescue authorities already carry out some free home fire safety checks, but new funding will see 1.25 million households benefit from a massive expansion of this work over the next four years.
Priority will go to vulnerable people, mainly the elderly, young families and black and ethnic minority groups, who, statistics show, are more at risk of house fires. The new scheme is expected to drive down fires, deaths and injuries in the home and could save more than 20 lives a year.
Fire statistics for 2003 found that in England 301 people died in accidental fires in the home. More than three quarters of these deaths were in properties without a smoke alarm, or with a smoke alarm that did not work. People in the poorest 10% of electoral wards are five times more likely to be injured by fire than those in the richest 10%.
Fire Safety Minister Phil Hope said: "When facing up to risks and dangers, most people want personal contact and practical help from someone they trust and this funding will offer just that, especially to deprived areas and communities."
Chief Fire Officer Phil Toase, Director of Safety and Standards for the Chief Fire Officers' Association, said that good, professional advice, coupled with the installation of smoke alarms, were proven to be effective in reducing deaths and injuries from fire:
"We believe that this type of proactive community fire safety work has already saved many lives throughout the country. With the extra resources being provided by the ODPM, fire and rescue authorities will be able to achieve even more success in eliminating fire deaths and injuries," he said.
Most recipients are expected to be owner-occupiers or those renting in the private sector since. Tenants of housing associations and local authorities usually have fire safety measures in place.
(gmcg/mb)
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