Over the coming months fire officers will be visiting heritage buildings within the Exeter Group of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service conducting simple fire safety checks to ensure that fire safety precautions are in place and up to date.

Officers will be visiting over 30 Grade I listed buildings which include churches throughout the area which need to think about the hazards in their buildings, some of which are required by law to conduct their own Fire Risk Assessment (FRA).

Group Commander Andy Revesz said: "This activity is being carried out to ensure the safety of the public, assist in the preservation of our heritage buildings and to gather information to assist with operational firefighting and the generation of salvage plans. 

"Older buildings have unique features such as hidden voids and cavities where fire can easily travel undetected. We therefore advise that a full set of records, drawings, photos and other information is stored and is made available to us for use in any building in the event of a fire and which would contribute to forming the basis of how the service will deal with each building in the event of a fire."

"Protective measures are often controversial in heritage buildings, because they can be seen as disruptive to the original fabric of the building, and the physical installation of the systems can sometimes be difficult. It is possible, however, to take suitable protective measures that are sympathetic to the historic fabric of the building, but which can also be designed for individual premises.

"Safeguarding heritage buildings from the ravages of fire assists in the conservation of our historical record for future generations and ensures the treasures within will be preserved and enjoyed for many years to come."

 

Posted August 26th, 2011 at 0930 by Andrew. Comment by emailing: andrew.lynch@pavpub.com