Cumbria County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) has created a new web-based home fire safety tool asking a range of questions aimed at identifying the individual’s level and type of risk.
The assessment, which takes around five minutes to complete, is then used by CFRS to determine whether a personal home safety visit is required or if relevant precautions are already being taken which can be supplemented by advice available on-line.
Questions include whether there are any smokers in the house, if electrical items are safe, if a chip pan is in use and if anybody with a disability or over the age of 65 resides in the house – all issues that can help determine fire risk in the home.
Up until the launch of this online assessment anybody requesting a home fire safety visit from CFRS was visited, regardless of their risk or individual circumstances.
By targeting resources at fire prevention activity CFRS has enabled a major reduction in the number of fire incidents across Cumbria in the past six years and this new online tool is part of the ongoing drive in putting prevention before cure when it comes to dealing with fires.
Reductions in government funding mean Cumbria County Council has to find savings of £80million over the next three years.
By better targeting home safety visits at those that will benefit most and providing online advice to others, CFRS will be delivering a more focussed, and relevant service to the people of Cumbria while making better use of resources by maximising the benefit of home safety visits to the most vulnerable in our communities.
Cumbria’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer Adrian Buckle said: "Our community safety initiatives and messages have had a tremendous impact on reducing the number of fires in Cumbria – we’ve seen a 34 per cent reduction in incidents over the past six years – and this online assessment is an important new development in our ongoing fire prevention journey.
Councillor Barry Doughty, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for Safer and Stronger Communities, said: "The assessment is quick and easy to fill in and will help people to become aware of fire risks in the home, go about reducing that risk and have an idea of what to do if a fire does break out."
Importantly the assessment can also be carried out over the phone for those without internet access. The free phone number is 0800 358 4777.
The home safety assessment can be found at the following link: https://secure3.cumbria.gov.uk/surveys/cumbria/firehomesafetyv5.htm
or visit www.cumbriafire.gov.uk
To have a say on the Fire Service budget proposals, and others within the council’s public consultation, visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/ourfuture or pick up a copy of the consultation document available in local libraries and other public buildings.
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