Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

at 01/06/2006 12:32

Councillor Ken Yeo, Executive Member for Public Protection is congratulating firefighters across the County. They visited 16054 homes in the last year and fitted, free of charge, 4631 smoke alarms.

This is part of the initiative the ‘Home Fire Safety Check’ which was designed in 2003 to help make Cornwall a safer place to live, work and visit. Firefighters from Cornwall County Fire Brigade visit people in their homes across the county to carry out a Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC).

The Home Fire Safety Check is an evaluation of the occupier’s risk from fire, which includes home fire safety advice and the supply of free smoke alarms.

Councillor Ken Yeo, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection said:
“The Home Fire Safety Check is designed to keep the people of Cornwall safe from fire, and works on the theory that prevention is better than cure. Firefighters target vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled and those who rely on assistance from others. However these checks are available to everyone. Each home is assessed and, where necessary, free smoke alarms are fitted”.

The benefit of undertaking a door to door Home Fire Safety Checks is that the Brigade has the opportunity to prevent fires happening. If a fire does occur firefighters will advise the occupiers and surrounding properties of potential dangers in their homes.

The Co-Responders will continue to meet the needs of their community for one more year thanks to additional funding from Kerrier District Council, and match funding from Cornwall County Fire Brigade’s own budget.

The Co-Responder Scheme is medical assistance provided by fire crews on the Lizard.

Councillor Ken Yeo explains: “Thanks to additional money from Kerrier District Council Cornwall County Fire Brigade are able to continue The Co-Responder Scheme on the Lizard Peninsula. However this funding is only for 2006 / 2007 and so the Brigade are currently working with its partners to decide on how it can or cannot be maintained in the future”

The decision to maintain the Co-Responder scheme takes into account the outcomes of the Brigade’s Service Plan consultation which took place in November and December last year.

Ken added: “The Brigade continues to concentrate on providing its high quality frontline services and proactive community safety work”.