Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive of Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Peter Dartford, launched this week the first
phase of what will be a 12 month campaign to drive down the numbers of deaths and serious injuries as a result of fires in
the home.
It is a hard hitting programme of activity designed to drive down accidental fire deaths and injuries throughout Staffordshire
– but particularly targeted to try and ensure the practical safety of the elderly, infirm and disabled people living within
the County. These people are more likely to find it difficult to react if there is a fire, and also may not always know the
best ways to keep themselves safe in their homes. The Fire and Rescue Service will be working with, their carers, families
and partner agencies to access these members of our community to provide Home Fire Risk Checks.
A vital part of the strategy is the introduction of a FREEPHONE number 0800 0241 999 to make it easier for older people and
related agencies to book a free home fire risk check. Home fire risk checks are designed to offer practical support and action
to protect and prevent fires in the home.
The 0800 0241 999 number is live now and staffed around the clock by Firefighters, control room staff and support staff, and
people are urged to get in touch particularly if they are elderly and vulnerable or if they know someone who is.
Click below to be taken to the Fire Gateway website to book a home fire risk check
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The campaign has been called ‘MORE for Less’ and links with the Far MORE From Your Fire and Rescue Service
programme which was launched last year. The Service has been working on ensuring the local communities in Staffordshire are
more aware of what their fire and rescue service can provide with the ‘Far More From Your Fire and Rescue Service’ work, and
this renewed programme to support elderly people is a crucial element which needs to be reinforced across the County. |
The Service has had a high profile stand at the Staffordshire County Show this week providing a range of advice and information,
offering visitors to the stands an opportunity to test their knowledge of home safety in the ‘Test the County’ quiz and to
pick up a home safety ‘goody’ bag. A fire appliance has been present from Stafford providing particularly the younger generation
with a tour round a real fire engine and also members of the recruitment department have been encouraging people who would
like to be a part time (retained) fire fighter to find out more.
Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service Peter Dartford, launched this first phase of the
Campaign at the County Show, with Cllr Denver Tolley, Vice Chairman of Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Authority
- local Firefighters, recruitment staff and members of the public visiting the show – they unveiled the new 0800 0241 999
number which has been developed as a banner, small postcards, on the website, and on various publications.
Peter Dartford commented: “I would like people living in Staffordshire to remember that if they do not have smoke alarms or
have smoke alarms that are not working, they are playing Russian Roulette with the lives of themselves and their families
– particularly if they have older people living in the house, who may find it more difficult to get out of a property if there
was a fire.
“I am determined that no-one should die from an accidental fire in their home and I am committed to doing everything in my
power to ensure that elderly and vulnerable people living in the County have all the right sort of protection to make sure
that if the worse happens, they stand the best possible chance of getting out alive.
This will mean the Members of Fire and Rescue Authority, partners and other agencies, all my managers, and all the staff of
the Service working together with people within the local community to tap into all the access routes to reach this vital
market for fire and rescue services. We need to ensure we know where they are and the best way of reaching people in this
age range - particularly those that are more vulnerable.
I have made a personal pledge to the Fire and Rescue Authority and our progress in this area will be very public. I am counting
on everyone however to make this work – zero deaths from fire in the home is a real possibility and it will be MORE for
0, not just MORE for less!.”
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