Tag Archives: Fire safety

Fire Suppression System averts potential disaster!

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service say a building was saved from going up in flames thanks to the Fire Suppression System the company had installed.

Firefighters were called to a fire at Millward Brown UK Ltd on Olympus Avenue, Tachbrook Park, Leamington on Sunday 29 April 2012 at 3.35am. The fire was located on the first floor in the computer room.  Two appliances from Leamington attended the incident and crews quickly set into action to tackle the fire. It is believed the fire started in a large battery back up store which was situated in a metal cabinet. The radiant heat from the fire ignited some paper and cardboard, which could have easily spread, had the company’s fire suppression system not kicked in.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Gary Phillips said:

“Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service would like to commend Millward Brown UK Ltd for having a Fire Suppression System in place. Not only did it stop the fire from developing, but it also saved the business from going up in flames, which in this economic climate is a real benefit, not only for the organisation, but also for the staff who are employed there and the community as a whole.

“As a Fire and Rescue Service we have long been petitioning for suppression systems such as sprinklers to be fitted in homes and businesses.  In our role we see the devastation fires cause, but can get frustrated knowing that something as simple as a suppression or sprinkler system could stop a real disaster from occurring.”

 David Chantrey, Managing Director of Millward Brown in Warwick, commented:

“The safety of our staff and preserving our service to our clients are utmost priorities for us.  We’re delighted that the systems we have in place worked as they were designed to and would encourage other businesses to do the same. We’d also like to thank Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for their fast and professional response”.

Further information on business fire safety can be found at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/saferpremises

Fire Safety Champion celebrates award!

North Warwickshire pupil, Sophie Hunt is being commended for taking part in the Junior Fire Safety Champion Scheme at Kingsbury Primary School on Monday 30th April.

The scheme, which encourages young people to spot potential fire hazards in the home, has been established by Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service as part of a drive to keep young people safe from harm through an interactive fire safety education programme in Primary Schools.

The scheme has been made possible thanks to a grant of £4,500 from the Electrical Safety Council (ESC).

As part of the scheme, pupils are  asked to carry out an initial hazard spotting exercise which checks key elements such as whether there is a working smoke alarm in the home, if there are any electrical cables running under carpets or rugs and ensuring that  there only one plug used per socket.  Checks can be carried out in their family home, grandparents, neighbours, relatives or friends houses. Once complete, the young people have to hand in a completed assessment to the school and are awarded with a Junior Fire Safety Champion certificate.

All assessments are passed onto the fire service and also provide the residents with the opportunity to request advice or a free home fire safety check from the fire service.

Sophie was presented with her Junior Fire Safety Champion certificate by Community Fire Safety Officer Andy Morgan during a school assembly and was also the lucky winner of a £25 WHSmith gift voucher after being picked out of the monthly prize draw.

Schools Liaison Officer, Ruth Greenhalgh said:

“We are really pleased to be presenting Sophie with her prize and to have received funding for this scheme from the Electrical Safety Council. This is the second scheme they have funded within the last three years to help educate young people about how to stay safe in the home.  The project has been rolled out to schools across Warwickshire to give young people aged between 9 and 10 the opportunity to learn more about fire safety, electrical fire safety and how to stay safe in the home.”

Lorraine Carney, Senior Campaigns Manager at the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) said:

“Our primary objective is to help people stay safer around electricity. So we are delighted to work with the Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service to support their innovative Junior Fire Safety Champion Scheme. According to government statistics, almost half of all accidental fires in UK homes – that’s over 20,000 each year – are caused by electricity, so it’s vital that people are made aware of where electrical dangers may arise in their homes and understand how to prevent an electrical-related accident happening.”

Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said:

“The Junior Fire Safety Champion Scheme is proving to be a real success with young people across Warwickshire. I would like to congratulate Sophie on receiving her prize and hope that more young people will now get involved with this very worthwhile scheme.”

 

65% of vehicle fires caused by poor maintenance!

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service are warning drivers to take more care over the maintenance of their vehicles after seeing an increase in calls to attend accidental vehicle fires.

From April 2011 to March 2012, firefighters were called to 58 vehicle fires in Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth, 38 of these were caused by a faulty fuel supply or an overheated engine. Whilst a number of these incidents can be attributed to people visiting or traveling through the county, residents still need to be aware of the dangers they face if their vehicle is not regularly maintained.

Station Commander for the Warwick District, Jon Dixon said:
“We are concerned that 65% of our accidental vehicle fires are caused by overheating and general maintenance issues. We know a lot of this is down to people trying to make savings in their budget, but cutting back on vehicle maintenance can often have severe consequences. Simple checks, such as making sure you have enough oil in the car before traveling long journeys or making sure that the vehicle is serviced regularly, can really make a difference to your safety.“

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Richard Hobbs said:
“The safety of residents or people visiting and traveling through the county is paramount to us. By highlighting the issue of accidental vehicle fires, we hope to make people more aware of the dangers they face if vehicles are not properly checked before traveling on long journeys.”

Jon continued; there are simple steps residents can take to help them stay safe on the roads. These include:
* Ensure that the tyre pressure on your vehicle is checked regularly.
* Do not smoke or use a mobile phone while driving
* Ensure you vehicle has an annual MOT and Service
* Check water/coolant (anti freeze in cold weather) and oil levels to prevent over-heating and engine failure.

For further information on fire safety please log onto www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue


Competition winners celebrate their success!

Children from Welcombe Hill School, Stratford, have been celebrating their success this week after winning a poster competition run by Warwickshire County Councils Fire and Rescue Service.

The posters were designed after pupils took part in a safety education session at the school. The aim of the session was to teach the children about the dangers of fire and how to make an escape plan should a fire occur in their home. The pupils were then able to have a look around a fire engine with firefighters from Green Watch, Stratford.

Four classes at the school – Oak, Willow, Pear and Maple, were then invited to design a poster to show a fire safety message that they had learnt from the day.  Overall 21 posters were submitted and the lucky winners were chosen by the School Liaison Officer from the Fire and Rescue Service.

The winners and the runners up have now all been presented with certificates and goody bags including felt tips, squeezy fire engines and fridge magnets as a reward for the hard work and imagination they put into designing the posters.

Schools Liaison Officer, Ruth Greenhalgh said:
“Firstly, I would like to thank all of the young people who took part and congratulate the winners and runners up in the competition.

“Teaching young people about fire safety and staying safe is a key element of their social development and we are pleased that so many schools in the County work with us on initiatives like this.  The pupils at Welcombe Hills School were full of enthusiasm for the project and it was apparent by the design of the posters that our message had been understood.”

For further information on fire safety in the home then log onto www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue

Kitchen fires cause a real stir!

Residents are being urged to take more care when cooking, as figures reveal that 58% of house fires attended in the last year in Warwick, Leamington and Kenilworth were located in the kitchen or living room area.

In 2011/12, Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service attended 86 kitchen fires, a number of which left the homes severely damaged by fire and smoke damage. Cooking being left unattended is one of the most common causes of these fires, followed by faulty wiring and smoking materials.

Station Commander for the Warwick District, Jon Dixon said:

“Last year we attended 174 house fires in Warwickshire, sadly a number of these incidents could have easily been avoided, if more care was taken when using electrical appliances or things like tea towels were not left close to a naked flame.”

“I do appreciate that it is very easy to become distracted when cooking, but if you’re called away from the cooker, then take pans off the heat. It’s the easiest thing in the world to forget about them and before you know it, you will have burnt more than just the tea!”

It not all doom and gloom though, there are simple steps you can follow to reduce the chances of having a fire in your home:

  • Don’t cook if you’re affected by alcohol or prescription drugs.
  • Don’t put oven gloves or tea towels down on the cooker after you’ve use them!
  • Always clean the grill pan after using it.
  • Get a smoke alarm and test it weekly.
  • In the event of a fire, have an escape route in place.
  • Don’t take risks by tackling a fire. Get out, stay out and call 999.

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Councillor Richard Hobbs said: “Fires in the home are a real concern and our aim is to protect the community and make Warwickshire a safer place to live.

“By regularly checking electrical items and ensuring that cooking is not left unattended, you could dramatically reduce the chances of having a fire in your home, which could potentially save the lives of the ones you love.”

For more information on fire safety in the home or to apply for a free home fire safety check, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafetycheck

Wake up to the deadly risk: Smoking is the biggest house fire killer

Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service has one of the lowest number of accidental house fires caused by smoking materials in the country.

However, despite the low numbers, the Service is still highlighting the dangers of smoking, especially when tired.

Nationally, more than a third of all deaths in fires in the home are caused by cigarettes. This makes smoking the single biggest killer in accidental fires in the home, often because of careless behaviour such as smoking in bed or not taking care after drinking alcohol. And when smokers fall asleep with a lit cigarette in hand, their proximity to the resulting fire seriously lowers their chance of escaping in time.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service are reminding smokers to ‘Put it Out, Right Out’ whenever they light up; to install smoke alarms on every level of the home; and, to test them regularly. Without a working smoke alarm you are four times more likely to die in an accidental fire in the home.

These simple steps can help prevent a cigarette fire in the home:

Never smoke in bed. Take care when you’re tired – it’s very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning and set furniture alight

Never smoke when under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If your lit cigarette starts a fire you could be less able to escape.

Put it out, right out!  Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished

Fit a smoke alarm and test it weekly. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and call 999

Never leave lit cigarettes, cigars or pipes unattended – they can easily overbalance as they burn down

Use a proper, heavy ashtray that can’t tip over easily and is made of a material that won’t burn.

Community Fire Safety Manager, Moreno Francioso said:

“Whilst the number of accidental fires in the home caused by smoking material remains low in Warwickshire, we can not be complacent. Residents need to be aware that someone dies from a fire caused by cigarettes or smoking materials every five days. Despite a fall in the overall number of fires caused by these products, it’s still the biggest killer in accidental fires in the home across the country. “

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Councillor Richard Hobbs said:

“Every smoker should wake up to the risks they take every time they light up, and drop the habit of smoking whilst in bed or under the influence of alcohol. The risk of falling asleep before you ‘put it out, right out’ is just too great.

“Just two to three breaths of toxic smoke can render you unconscious, so why take the risk!“

If you do smoke in the home, then please make sure that you have a working smoke alarm on each floor of the property. It can give you the extra time you need to escape if the worst should happen.

For more information on fire safety in the home, log onto http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafetycheck