Fire deaths and injuries still too high, says Minister

Fire deaths and injuries in Northern Ireland had been falling over recent years, but the figures are still too high, Health Minister Angela Smith said today.

Health Minister Angela Smith made the comments as she outlined government plans for improving the fire service and fire safety in Northern Ireland.

Launching the consultation document ‘Northern Ireland’s Fire and Rescue Service’, the Minister said that the proposals aimed to develop an even more highly skilled and safer workforce.

Mrs Smith added: “The new legislation will give the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service of the future a clear set of statutory responsibilities, with a greater emphasis on fire prevention and community safety.”

The consultation paper builds on the findings of last year’s independent review of the Fire Authority for Northern Ireland.

The new legislation would specify six core duties for the new Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service:

• community fire safety;
• fire fighting;
• rescuing people trapped in road traffic accidents;
• protecting and rescuing people from other hazards;
• acting as the enforcement authority for new fire safety requirements; and emergency planning.

The Minister said that both the government and firefighters now faced a series of challenges in an effort to create a "modern, efficient and effective fire service".

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