Speaking at the launch in Kilnaboy National School, Minister Killeen complimented the Clare County Fire and Rescue Service for its work in promoting fire safety awareness.
The Minister added, "The School Fire Safety Programme information lessons are designed to teach children to educate their families about Fire Safety and about protecting homes and communities from fire. Over the coming school year 53,000 pupils in 3,300 schools all over the country will be told about the importance of having smoke alarms installed in the home."
"The launch of the Programme is especially timely as National Fire Safety Week 2007 runs from 1st-8th October 2007. Again I would like to complement Clare County Fire and Rescue Service for organising a series of open nights at its fire stations, in conjunction with National Fire Safety Week", stated Minister Killeen.
According to Maria Carey, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Clare County Fire & Rescue Service stated, "The age at which a child receives a fire safety lesson is important. Experience has shown that if the child is too young then he/she may not fully understand the message and, secondly, the child may become frightened. Children of 8 or 9 years old are more open to messages of fire safety and, if educated early enough, are less likely to progress into activities such as false alarms and arson."
Commenting on the 'Safety Team Programme, Ms. Carey explained that participating schoolchildren are expected, as part of their homework, to interact with their families on the elements of the programme.
She said, "Each child is provided with a Home Safety Check Sheet, which must be filled out by a family member in the home. This completed Home Safety Check Sheet is evidence of the key fire safety message reaching inside the home and is also a valuable resource for statistical purposes. This interaction puts the problem and the solution together in the same place at the same time, making it more likely that any fire safety problems will be successfully addressed in the future."
"It is essential that every home in Clare have working smokes alarm fitted. Tragically, however, over 20% of homes in this country have no working smoke alarm – that is more than 320,000 homes. A smoke alarm will not prevent fires happening but it will warn people that it is happening and it will give them time to get out. The 'Safety Team' Programme will deliver this message to children so they can in turn educate their families", concluded Ms. Carey.
Clare County Fire and Rescue Service is presently involved in numerous other fire safety initiatives around the County. The Smoke Detector Programme for Vulnerable groups continues in partnership with Clare County Council's Community & Enterprise Section. Firefighters have carried out Home Fire Safety visits in the Ennis area, with a similar scheme due to be undertaken in Kilrush in the near future. Meanwhile, regular fire safety inspections also continue to be undertaken by Fire Officers in hotels and nightclubs.
The Clare County Fire and Rescue Service fleet consists of 27 vehicles including 14 Class B Fire Appliances, 3 Water Tankers, 5 Four Wheel Drives, 2. Aerial Rescue Vehicles, 2 Emergency Tenders and a Mechanics Van. The Service Headquarters is located at Central Fire Station, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare.
In the event of a fire in your home "Get Out, Stay Out And Call the Fire Brigade Out". The Fire Service can be contacted by dialling 999.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editors:
- Maria Carey, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Clare County Fire & Rescue Service and Minister Tony Killeen (087-4187132)
- From 1995 to 2004, a total of 455 people died from fires. 34% of the deaths occurred during the winter months (November to January). 60% of the deaths occurred between 8pm and 8am.
Mark Dunphy
Dunphy Public Relations
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Connolly,
Ennis,
County Clare
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