24/4/2008 - West Cumbrian firefighters help people to sleep safely

Firefighters in West Cumbria are providing free, fire retardant bedding backs to residents in the area who are believed to be at higher risk of being seriously injured in a fire due to problems such as health and limited mobility.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Scheme is providing the packs to people who have been assessed as being at greater risk as part of its free home safety visit service. Each pack contains contains a duvet, pillow, and other fire retardant bedding.

Two in every three people who die in fires do so before the Fire and Rescue Service is even called making a making it a priority for the Fire and Rescue Service to help people prevent fires from happening in the first place.

Since 2003, firefighters in Cumbria have carried out more than 40,000 home safety visits which are designed to make sure people have working smoke detectors and basic fire prevention advice.

This year, the county’s Fire & Rescue Service is also investing more than £220,000 on the very latest optical smoke detectors and five new community safety advocates, who will target individuals most at risk of fire.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service's Community Safety Manager, Mark Smith said: "This scheme has been developed to protect people who have been identified as being at higher risk of being seriously injured in a fire."

People can arrange to have a free home safety visit at any time by calling Cumbria fire & Rescue Service on 0800-358-4777.

ENDS

Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228-606337