By Jon Butt

In recent BBC news it was reported that Cornwall has had no deaths at all this past year, 2008, in fire related accident. What wonderful news. The Head of the County Fire and Rescue Service suggested it was due to the fact that his men had made over 18000 home visits, and enforced the smoke alarm rule. The firemen affirmed that the alarm would alert all family members and they would escape the fire safely. What good work!

In Sussex, the brigade has started a 12 month plan to educate all members of the community about fire safety. They plan to focus on the youth, who will in turn teach their family members, and the migrant workers. The migrant workers often live in high numbers in single family dwellings and have little knowledge of fire safety. There is no count of how many migrants live in which building and who the landlord is in many cases. Smoke alarms must be installed on every level of these houses and exit signs hung.

A school evacuation was held recently when a nearby wood shop caught fire. The escape plan went off without a hitch and the students felt very safe. That is the key to safety in a fire, have a plan, help the children and elderly out and make everyone feel safe.

Kitchen and chip pan fires have been decreasing since the thermostatically controlled deep fryers have come on the market. They are far more dependable and turn off automatically when not in use. More and more home owners are being educated about the use of their kitchen appliances and their cookers are being kept cleaner.

Cleanliness is next to fire safetiness. With more information going out to homes via televisions and visits from the fire brigades, people are now keeping their houses cleaner. Clutter, old newspapers, ashtrays smouldering, and filled-up bins are a breeding ground for fires. Every week have a good clean up and throw away anything that is not needed.

Electrical sockets should not be over-extended. Leads should not be hidden under rugs as they become ragged and can start a fire. It has been reported that most fire brigades attest to the fact that electrical fires, starting in the socket or by space heaters, have decreased. More education needs to be addressed to the elderly as they are most likely to use the heaters in one room or knock them over inadvertently.

Finally, and when all is said and done. Fire safety begins with education, the proper equipment and installation, the plans of action and common sense. Do your best to stop unnecessary fires!

About The Author

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