Cross border fire safety week launched

FIRE Safety Week was jointly launched by Fire Services north and south this week.

Eamon Woulfe, Chief Fire Officer, Louth County Council, representing the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management attended the launch in Belfast yesterday (Monday).

Speaking at the event, the Louth Chief Fire Officer said he hoped that Fire Safety Week can be used to raise public awareness of the main causes of accidental fires in the home and how they might be prevented.’

He explained that based on fires attended by brigades over the past few years, cooking and heating are now the main causes of house fires.

In 2016, 38% of house fires were as a result of cooking and heating, whether through faulty appliances or hazardous practices such as leaving hot oil and cooking appliances unattended.

This year’s theme is ‘What can you do to STOP fire?’ STOP Fire’ is an easy to remember checklist, i.e. smoke alarms, test them, look out for obvious fire safety dangers and plan escape routes.

Louth brigades will be distributing fire safety in the home guidance leaflets to the public and these will also be available at Louth County Council offices.

There will also be fire safety stands in the Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and in the Marshes Shopping Centre in Dundalk, where fire crews will provide fire safety advice and will also be handing out smoke alarms.