Target Achieved

By Ben Aulakh

Northamptonshire County Council’s fire and rescue service has completed its 30,000th home fire safety check.

In 2010, as part of their ongoing work to reduce the number of people killed or injured in fire, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service set a challenging target of carrying out 30,000 home fire safety checks over a three-year period.

Home fire safety checks are offered to people who may have an increased risk of having a fire in their home. 

As well as giving out advice to help reduce the risk of fire, firefighters offered advice on what people should do if a fire occurred, and where necessary, have also installed smoke alarms. 

Around 45,000 smoke alarms have been installed over the three years.

The 30,000th safety check was carried out in a family home in Daventry on Wednesday March 20 Staff from Daventry fire station were accompanied by Chief Fire Officer Martyn Emberson and

County Council Cabinet Member for Fire Councillor Andre Gonzalez de Savage said, “This effort has been tremendous and since we began the campaign to carry out 30,000 safety checks we have seen a continued decline in the number of house fires. 

“The main causes of house fires are either electrical or cooking related so I would also like to remind everyone to check for the safety of their electrical appliances.”

Information about how to make sure your electrical equipment is safe and how to maintain equipment can be found from the Electrical Safety Council.

Prevention team manager Warren Ellison said, “The importance of a smoke alarm cannot not be under-estimated. 

“We also encourage all householders to have an escape plan, so if the alarm does sound, they can safely escape from their home unaided. 

“If a fire does occur in the home, we hope  all householders are able to have got themselves safely out of the house prior to the arrival of the emergency services.”

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service has worked in partnership with voluntary groups and charities to deliver the safety checks, it said it’s looking to continue to work with local volunteer groups as partners into the future.