06/10/2003

Ministers launch fire safety week

Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Angela Smith, today jointly launched Fire Safety Week with her counterpart from Dublin, Pat the Cope Gallagher, Minister for Safety.

This is the second year that this joint initiative between the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade and the Republic of Ireland’s National Safety Council has taken place.

On the initiative, Mrs Smith said: “Everyone, North and South, will be targeted by the fire safety messages during the week, but there will be a particular focus on the more vulnerable members of society, such as the very young and the elderly. It is important that everyone is aware of the risks of fire and takes preventative action to reduce those risks. Fire Safety Week will help achieve that.”

“I am also pleased to note that further emphasis is being given to raise public awareness of the dangers of hoax calls. These calls are not fun, they are not clever, and they are not acceptable.

"We need to be sure that Fire Service resources are available to react quickly to genuine emergency situations. Hoax callers must be made to understand that they are putting lives at risk – which could be members of their own families.”

Joint Fire Safety Week was one of the initiatives developed by the Cross Border Working Group set up to identify areas of cross border co-operation and joint working on fire services. The first joint Fire Safety Week, co-hosted by the NI Fire Brigade and the National Safety Council of the Republic of Ireland, took place in November 2002, and was launched at the Fire Service Training Centre in Dublin.

(MB)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

01 October 2024
NIFRS Launches Online Home Fire Safety Check Tool
The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has introduced a new online tool to help residents assess their home fire safety. The Home Fire Safety Check coincides with Fire Safety Week, which runs from September 30th to October 6th. The initiative aims to reduce the number of house fires in Northern Ireland.
10 July 2024
Summer Road Safety Campaign Launches
All road users in Northern Ireland has been urged to take care on the roads over the holiday period to "make sure they and their loved ones get home safe". Making the call, Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd said: "Tragically, so far this year 34 people have set out on a routine journey and have lost their lives.
04 October 2004
North-South Fire Safety Week launched
A joint north-south Fire Safety Week has been launched today by the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade and the Republic of Ireland’s National Safety Council. ‘Fire, Our Community at Risk’ aims to raise public awareness of fire safety issues, and in particular, the higher risk to the very young and elderly people living alone.
07 October 2019
Pat Jennings & NIFRS Issue Fire Safety Warning
Legendary Northern Ireland goalkeeper Pat Jennings has joined the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service to send a message regarding the heightened risk of fire for the over 50s. According to the NIRFS, 87% of deaths from accidental house fires in the last four years were people aged 50 and over.
05 September 2016
NIFRS Issues Reminder At Chimney Fire Safety Week
The Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) has issued a reminder to householders that chimney fires can be easily prevented by getting their chimneys cleaned. The NIFRS made the call at the launch of Chimney Fire Safety Week, 05 - 11 September. Firefighters attended 1,100 chimney fires across Northern Ireland in 2015.