Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

Hutchnance Close, Truro at 03/06/2003 11:00

Cornwall County Fire Brigade will be piloting a new initiative at six fire stations starting this Tuesday the 3rd June. The aim of the scheme is to assist in the Brigade’s vision to make Cornwall the safest county in which to live, work and visit.

Firefighters from Cornwall County Fire Brigade will visit people in their homes in Falmouth, Camborne, St Austell, St Dennis, Bodmin and Liskeard who are happy to take part. Those personnel will then 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, depending on the risk category, the supply of free smoke alarms.

Sub-Officer Richard Gibbons explains: “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. Initially we will target vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled and those who rely on assistance from others”

He cont: “At fire scenes we often advise the occupiers and surrounding properties of potential dangers in their homes. If we undertake a door to door Home Fire Safety Checks we have the opportunity to stop the fires happening”

Each home will be assessed as, low risk, medium risk or high risk.

Statistics show that three kinds of households are deemed to be ‘high risk’ those containing the elderly, families with children and families defined as belonging to lower socio-economic groups.

The owners of homes assessed, as ‘low risk’ will receive advice with the recommendation to purchase smoke alarm(s) as required. Medium risk home owners will receive advice and may also receive smoke alarm(s). Those owners in the ‘high risk’ category will have smoke alarm(s) fitted free and receive advice.

Sub Officer Richard Gibbons added: “The Home Fire Safety Check does not have to stop after the first visit, although owners will never be forced to take our advice. If the firefighters feel an owner will benefit from a revisit, and the owner is happy with this, we will revisit until the occupier feels safer in their home”

Executive Member Jill Ferrett said: “Every month the Fire Service campaigns locally to increase awareness about the importance of fire safety – fitting smoke alarms, planning an escape route or the dangers of chip pans. Cornwall’s fantastic new initiative the Home Fire Safety Check, can only help to drive down the number of house fires even more, and make the communities in Cornwall fire safe”

Mr Oliver – a victim of fire – added: “I have only just started to recover from the devastating fire at my property in 2001. Luckily I had fitted smoke alarms which alerted us to the fire and saved our lives”

He cont: “I know many people still do not have smoke alarms in their properties so this new Home Fire Safety Check is a fantastic idea, and one which can only prove to be beneficial and lifesaving to other victims of fire like me”