Monday, December 13, 2010

Community Smoke Alarm Scheme Launched In Clare

Clare County Council today launched a Community Smoke Alarm Scheme, designed to provide 10-year battery operated smoke alarms to vulnerable homes in the county which do not currently have them.
Under the scheme, the Community and Enterprise section of the Council says it intends to oversee the installation of hundreds of smoke alarms in homes across the county in the coming weeks. The initiative, which forms part of the national Fire Service Change Programme, is also aimed at making Clare householders more aware of fire safety routines and potential fire hazards.

The local authority is asking voluntary groups/volunteers and others who visit people in vulnerable households to identify homes where there are no smoke alarms.  Clare County Fire and Rescue Service will provide training for community groups on how to correctly install and advise homeowners on the maintenance of the alarms.

Applications are also being invited from individual households who are in a position to install the alarms themselves. 

According to Adrian Kelly, Chief Fire Officer, Clare County Fire and Rescue Service: “Over the coming weeks we hope, with the assistance of the community sector, to identify vulnerable households with no working smoke alarm. It is intended that each home visited will be fitted with two self-contained 10-year smoke alarms, which are being provided free of charge by the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government.”

“We are inviting all voluntary agencies and community groups in the county to contact us to avail of free smoke alarms for members of their community who would benefit most from the installation of working smoke alarms within their homes”, he added.

For further information on the Community Smoke Alarm Scheme contact the Community & Enterprise Section of Clare County Council, New Road, Ennis, Co Clare, Telephone 065 6846571 or dceoff@clarecoco.ie.