Fire safety fund

We are pleased to announce that the following partners have been awarded funding as part of the Fire Safety Fund 2010-11. 23 projects will receive awards from a combined fund total of £100,104 to support projects across the country that aim to reduce deaths and injuries from electrical fires.

This year’s successful projects will cover a range of activities including electric blanket testing, products testing and replacements, raising awareness of electrical safety training and safety vehicle refurbishment. All the projects will be delivered between August 2010 to March 2011 and will help support the delivery of effective consumer safety activity at local level.

Full details of this year’s awards are outlined below.

 

 
ENGLAND
Organisation Type of Organisation Town Summary of Project About the Project
Barnet Housing Housing Association London PRODUCT TESTING (PAT) Purchase three PAT machines to train members of staff to carry out electrical appliance testing in the homes of residents - specifically targeting vulnerable, elderly and younger tenants
Community Safety Division Wandsworth Council Council Wandsworth TRAINING - YOUTH Run training sessions in partnership with Fire & Rescue Service for young carers in order for them to learn about fire and electrical safety in the home and share this information with other members of their household
Act On It Community group East Hoathly AWARENESS RAISING - GENERAL Work with local nurseries and schools to perform two new versions of the 'Hot Dog' play which will be focused on the effect of electrical fires in the home. Content will cover issues such as turning off appliances, hair tongs and curlers, overloading sockets, covering heaters and trailing leads. The project is aimed at hard to reach families in deprived neighbourhoods, who may have English as a second language and/or live in temporary housing. Safety packs will also be issued to local schools for distribution.
Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service Fire & Rescue Service Oxford ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING A selection of electric blanket and heat pad testing and replacement events aimed at the elderly, vulnerable and disabled members of the community
Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service Fire & Rescue Service Preston PRODUCTS - REPLACEMENT Partnership project with Age Concern, Tenant Groups and care service providers to replace electric heaters with thermostatically controlled anti-tip models
Salford City Council Council Salford PRODUCT TESTING (PAT) PAT testing of electrical goods
Bolsover District Council Council Bolsover PRODUCT TESTING (PAT) PAT testing of small appliances in the run up to Christmas with replacements offered for products failing the test. The project will run in conjunction with private sector and LA housing teams.
Trading Standards - Darlington Borough Trading Standards Darlington ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Electric blanket testing and replacement events in partnership with the local Fire Brigade which will also provide the opportunity to deliver fire safety advice to the elderly
Trafford Trading Standards Trading Standards Manchester ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Electrical testing and replacement events in conjunction with Trafford Fire & Rescue Service. The events will primarily focus on enrolling residents into the Trading Standards new i-CAN system which will send electrical safety reminders via pre-recorded phone messages, SMS and emails
Cambridgeshire Trading Standards Trading Standards Cambourne ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Electric blanket testing and replacement event which will run alongside Cambridge Celebrates Age Month
Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD) Charity Colchester TRAINING - VOLUNTEERS Recruit deaf people to become 'Fire Electrical Safety Champions'. Activities will include attending training sessions and passing learned messages to Deaf family members and friends. Part of the funding will also be used to adapt electrical fire safety written material to meet the needs of deaf people.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service Fire & Rescue Service Burslem SAFETY VEHICLE REFURBISHMENT To contribute towards the costs of a safety awareness vehicle which will be used at events to deliver electric and fire safety messages, including the dangers of overloaded sockets, faulty/worn cables and faulty appliances
Essex County Council Trading Standards Trading Standards Chelmsford PRODUCT TESTING (PAT) Provide residents with PAT testing for small electrical goods, offering replacements if products are deemed unsafe. Visits will be conducted by Essex County Fire & Rescue who will check and replace smoke alarms and electric blankets.
Northamptonshire Trading Standards Trading Standards Northampton ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Five day electrical blanket testing and replacement event with representatives giving advice from Benefits Agency, Welfare Rights, CAB, Digital UK, and Energysure
 
SCOTLAND
Organisation Type of Organisation Town Summary of Project About the Project
The Risk Factory Child Safety Centre Edinburgh AWARENESS RAISING - GENERAL Working in partnership with Lothian and Borders Fire & Rescue Service to develop a new awareness programme aimed at the elderly which will use real life scenarios to highlight everyday electrical dangers and hazards within the home
Trading Standards - Shetlands Islands Trading Standards Lerwick ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Visiting eight rural locations to hold electric blanket testing days, offering £10 vouchers towards replacement blankets which fail tests. The project will also be used to raise awareness for home safety visits
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Fire & Rescue Service Glasgow PRODUCTS - REPLACEMENT Providing free four way adaptor sockets to replace unsafe multi-plugs during home safety visits to high risk groups identified by tactical assessments. This project will be in run in partnership with the Glasgow Housing Association and Glasgow Addiction Services
Perth & Kinross Community Safety Partnership Council Perth PRODUCTS - REPLACEMENT Removal of block style adaptors and replacing them with safer bar style adaptors. Funding will allow be used to allow Tayside Fire & Rescue Service to carry out fire checks and Home Safety Officers to carry out PAT and electrical blanket testing
 
WALES
Organisation Type of Organisation Town Summary of Project About the Project
South Wales Fire & Rescue Service Fire & Rescue Service Pontyclum AWARENESS RAISING - GENERAL Christmas safety packs will be distributed to vulnerable members of the community which will contain key electrical safety advice and messages
Age Concern Sir Gar Charity Llanelli ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Working in partnership with West Wales Fire Service to hold eleven electric blanket testing events in Carmarthenshire, replacing unsafe blankets. During these events, information and advice will also be provided on home safety, falls prevention and the installation of smoke alarms.
Danger Point Child Safety Centre Holywell AWARENESS RAISING - GENERAL As well as extra electrical safety messages being incorporated into the interactive centre for children, two themed electrical safety weeks are planned. Staff will also be trained to deliver the new safety messages.
 
NORTHERN IRELAND
Organisation Type of Organisation Town Summary of Project About the Project
TADA Rural Support Network Charity Portadown ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Seven electrical blanket testing and replacement events with Home/Fire Safety Officers providing general safety advice
Omagh District Council Council Co Tyrone ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING Electric blanket testing events with a 25% discount voucher being offered to those which fail the test. Events will also include information stalls and demonstrations on electrical fire hazards in the home