Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 03/04/2012 08:36

Latest figures from Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) show the service has taken the fire safety message into almost 4,000 homes and fitted more than 3,000 smoke detectors over the last 12 months.

The statistics also reveal that there have been no deaths from fire in Cornwall over the last year.

As part of its Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) programme, CFRS firefighters visit people in their homes to give tailored fire safety advice and, where appropriate, fit smoke detectors.

“The HFSC programme gives our firefighters an opportunity to assess potential risks in the home, but also gives people an opportunity to ask us any questions they have about fire safety,” said Steve Brown, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at CFRS.

“Over the last 12 months we have focussed our HFSC work on the more vulnerable members of our community and have set up several partnerships aimed at keeping people safer in their homes. Our HFSC scheme is one of several community safety initiatives we run which help get the fire safety message across to people of all ages.

“I am pleased we have not seen any deaths from fire in Cornwall over the last year and I hope this will continue. If we can prevent fire from breaking out in the first place, we can prevent people from being killed and injured.”

Recent partnerships with Coastline Housing and East Cornwall Landlord Services have seen members of CFRS’s prevention team train staff to deliver Home Fire Safety Checks as part of their regular visits to tenants. Other community safety initiatives include ELFS (aimed at primary school children), the Phoenix Project (aimed at teenagers) and Phoenix Works (aimed at job seekers). Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is also a member of multi agency community projects such as Newquay Safe and Safer Camborne.

Councillor Lance Kennedy, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for Community Safety and Public Protection said: “I am encouraged by these figures but am acutely aware of the risks, we will not allow ourselves to become complacent. The safety of staff, residents and visitors will continue to be a priority.”

Related item: http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=7291