Dorset Fire and Rescue Service launch SaFE U in time for Electrical Fire Safety Week

As a keynote date in the fire safety calendar approaches Dorset Fire and Rescue Service is launching its brand new Safety and Fire Education Unit (SaFE U) in Dorchester next week.

Electrical Fire Safety Week takes place from 23rd-29th January providing the opportunity to showcase the service's brand new vehicle. The new display unit is a converted fire engine that used to be operational at Bridport Fire Station and has attended incidents across the county. It will now not only be able to show the public the dangers of electrical appliances and supply in the home but also provide tips on how to mitigate these issues and live safer at home.

Statistics show that half of all accidental house fires in the UK in 2010/11 were caused by faulty or misused electrical equipment. From faulty fridges and abandoned irons to dodgy plugs and wiring, electrical equipment can be an unnoticed fire hazard in the home. With the recent cold weather, many sockets could still be overloaded with space heaters and electric blankets. During 2011, Dorset Fire and Rescue Service alone attended over 220 accidental fires in the home, with an electrical cause.

DFRS has decided to launch this vehicle as well as joining forces with the Electrical Safety Council and the Fire Kills campaign to make sure people know the risks and take care when using electrics in their home.

Chief Fire Officer Darran Gunter said: "Electrical equipment is an inescapable part of all our lives, from essentials like heating and lights to luxuries like entertainment systems or beauty products. We need to be able to make the communities of Dorset aware of some the incidents these day to day items can cause and our new vehicle will allow us to have a much more visible presence in our communities.

"Not only will we be able to talk and demonstrate electrical safety, but at the same time we can show how sprinklers work and demonstrate their effectiveness in reducing fire damage. The Dorset Fire Authority and I are working hard to make Dorset's communities safer and reduce the amount of fires we attend. This new vehicle, one of our old operational fire engines, is another tool which allows us to achieve this aim."

For more information visit: www.dorsetfire.co.uk 

 

Posted January 19th, 2012 at 1020 by Andrew. Comment by emailing: andrew.lynch@pavpub.com