Smokers in Cumbria are being urged to take more care when lighting-up at home, following a rise in fire deaths.
The warning comes from Cumbria's Chief Fire Officer Dominic Harrison ahead of this month’s meeting of the county council's cabinet (13 May), which will discuss a report showing that of the seven fire deaths since April 2007, there is evidence that five were smoking-related.
The rise in Cumbrian fire deaths bucks a general trend which has seen a steady drop in the number of people killed in accidental dwelling fires - down from six in 2001/02 to three in 2006/07.
Overall, the number of people killed or injured in house fires has fallen from 61 in 2001/02 to 30 this year.
Two in every three people who die in fires do so before the Fire and Rescue Service is even called, 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 45,000 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 providing the very latest optical smoke detectors for homes and the recruitment of five new community safety advocates.
The advocates will work closely with Cumbria Adult Social Care and other services to identify and target individuals, like smokers, whose lifestyles means they could be at greater danger of being killed or being seriously injured in a blaze.
Free, fire-retardant bedding packs are being provided to people whose problems with health and limited mobility mean they are at higher risk.
The European Commission’s decision to ban traditional cigarettes by 2009-10, forcing smokers to buy 'fire-safe' cigarettes that need constant drags to keep them alight, is also expected to reduce smoking-related fires across the UK.
Cumbria’s Chief Fire Officer Dominic Harrison, said: "Smoking has been major factor in the rise in deaths we have seen this year and I would urge all smokers to make to make sure they extinguish smoking materials properly.
"During the last five years we have made great strides in reducing the number of people killed and injured in house fires.
"However, the last twelve months has seen more people killed than the previous year and we are determined to make sure this does not become a trend.
"We are already working with other agencies and organisations to identify and help those Cumbrians whose lifestyles mean their risk of fire is increased.
"The new advocates will help us deliver targeted support to those people who, by the very nature of their lifestyles, are often the hardest to reach.
"People can request a home safety visit where firefighters will provide advice on how to reduce the risk of fire and fit free smoke-detectors.
''I would strongly urge people who have not already had a free home safety visit to arrange one today by calling the special freephone number 0800-358-4777."
The following advice is being issued to anyone smoking at home:
- Put it out, right out! Make sure your cigarette is fully extinguished.
- Take extra care when you're tired, taking any sort of drugs or have been drinking alcohol. It's very easy to fall asleep while your cigarette is still burning.
- Never smoke in bed - if you need to lie down, don't light up. You could doze off and set your bed on fire.
- 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. Make sure your cigarette is not still burning when you are finished.
- Tap your ash into an ashtray, never a wastebasket containing other rubbish and don't let the ash or cigarette ends build up in the ashtray.
- Get a smoke alarm. A working smoke alarm can buy you valuable time to get out, stay out and dial 999. To receive a free home safety visit, people can contact Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service on 0800-358-4777.
ENDS
Please note: Cumbria County Council's media team telephone numbers have now changed.
Media enquiries to Mark Graham, Media Officer on 01228 226337.
Follow this link to view the cabinet paper to be discussed by councillors at their meeting on 13 May