Fire safety initiative arrives in Dumfries
The nationwide fire safety show which has been going round Scotland to try and educate people about the very real threat posed by house fires has now reached Dumfries and Galloway.
Shoppers at Loreburne Shopping Centre came face to face with the burnt out remains of a home ravaged by fire as fire crews adopted serious measures to urge people to protect their properties against the risk of fire.
The region has suffered from a high number of house fires over the last few years and so it is hoped that this initiative will encourage people to install fire alarms in their homes.
Firefighters were ready to offer advice on fire safety to those passing by the stand and also gave people the chance to benefit from a free home visit from the fire service to check for hazards and fit smoke alarms if needed.
Fergus Ewing, the community safety minister, said:
“The Scottish Government and Fire Services are working hard to educate people about the dangers of fire.
“The most important message we would give is to not be complacent, always be on your guard, and to regularly check your smoke alarm to ensure that it is in working order – it can save lives.
“This tour will take this vital safety message directly out into Dumfries and Galloway communities, offering people practical advice on how they can keep their homes and families safe from fire.”
Fire breaks out at Cambridge pub
A fire broke out earlier this week at the Baron of Beef, a popular pub in Cambridge.
Fire crews managed to contain the blaze at the Bridge Street pub, which is believed to have started in a disused oven that had accidentally been switched on. Paper was found to have been stored in the oven, providing the fuel for the fire.
Three fire crews from Cambridge and Sawston were called to the pub at around 2.45pm after fire alarms sounded. Firefighters used a turntable ladder and other specialist equipment to contain the blaze and ensure it did not spread into other rooms of the pub. The fire was fully extinguished just an hour or so later, and no one was reported to have been injured.
Thanks to the speed and efficiency of the fire crews, the damage to the pub was minimal. As well as confirming that the fire affected a boiler and store cupboard, manager Gail Pritchard confirmed that food would not be served that night but that the pub would be open as normal the next day.
Steve Elve, station manager at Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, attributed the minimal damage to the pub to the fire alarms sounding. He said:
“Thanks to the working smoke alarm this fire was detected early and firefighters were able to extinguish it before it could spread.
“If the fire had not been detected it could have spread rapidly and become life threatening.”
Shortage of fire risk assessors in UK
A lack of competent fire risk assessors is causing great concern amongst UK landlords says the Peabody Housing Association.
Landlords are finding it very difficult to find assessors that they can trust to carry out vital safety assessments on their properties.
The claim was made by Robert Groom, Peabody’s fire safety and emergency planning manager, at an event last month in association with the London Fire Brigade. The events main aim was to see how effectively the Regulatory Reform Order of 2005 is being enforced.
Cornwall fire service counts cost of false alarms
It has been reported that automatic heat and smoke detectors are proving to be extremely costly to Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, with false alarms racking up almost £500,000 every year.
The fire brigade has confirmed it took action to around a thousand call outs last year which were caused by fumes from cooking or fire doors not properly closed and the resultant triggering of fire alarms.
In one particular case at University College Falmouth halls of residence, automatic detectors were set off 35 times in just two years.
With every call out due to a false alarm setting the fire service back about £500, it is no wonder then that campaigns have been launched to reduce the volume of these instances, which are around a third of every call out.
Justin Ashburn, Falmouth watch manager, spoke to BBC News about the problems the service faced due to these false alarms. He said:
“Logistically it can be a problem because it could be potentially taking us away from a genuine incident.
“However, when the call comes in, we do have to treat it as an emergency.”
As a public service, the fire brigade incurs costs for these call outs in terms of the use of the appliances, fuel expenditure as well as the manpower and security considerations.
Parliament to hear landlord fire safety bill
The House of Common is preparing for the second reading of a private members bill stating that all landlords would be required by law to ensure that their properties are equipped with working smoke alarms.
The new law would mean that all landlords of public and private properties would be responsible for fitting and maintaining mains wired smoke alarm systems at the beginning of every new tenancy. Once fitted, this responsibility to maintain the fire alarms would pass to the tenant.
Currently, landlords are required to provide safe gas and electrical supplies but in many cases are not required by law to provide smoke alarms when it is a known fact that there are many more deaths from fire each year than by the effects of gas, carbon monoxide and electricity.
Dozens of lives are lost each year to fire related accidents in the home. Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer, Lee Howell is giving his full support to the bill and has said “It has been proved time and time again that working smoke alarms can save lives. It makes such a difference – in some cases a life and death difference”.
Mr Howell urges the public to contact their MPs to ask them to support the bill that will be heard later this month.