Tower block fire timely reminder about safety

Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the East Kilbride News.

I’m sure you will join us in admitting that the scenes of the Grenfell Tower ablaze in West London last Wednesday were particularly harrowing.

The multi-storey building went up in flames in next to no time. The pictures were harrowing enough but the stories utterly heartbreaking.

Clearly, the results of an investigation will be eagerly anticipated given tenants and residents have seemingly highlighted concerns about the health and safety of the block.

It would be wrong to prejudge any inquiry. Suffice to say, there are questions requiring answers and it is up to the authorities to provide them; particularly those who have lost everything, including loved ones.

What last week’s fire does is remind us how important it is to be aware of our own safety and that of others.

It’s vital that we have fire evacuation plans for our own home in the event that the worst does happen.

Do you know what you would do in a blaze? Do your children?

Does your property have a fitted, working smoke alarm?

If you live in a multi-occupancy block, is everyone aware of what to do in case of fire?

It often takes a tragedy of the nature of Grenfell Tower to make us focus on matters such as these and consider our own situation the environment in which we live.

If you are unsure of what to do, get in touch with the fire service and South Lanarkshire Council.

There are people who can help and you will not be putting them out.

After all, prevention is better than cure. Colin Paterson