ESCWarwickshire FRS is set to launch a new electrical fire safety resource for primary schools thanks to funding from the Electrical Safety Council (ESC).

Warks' DCFO Gary Phillips praised the work of the ESC in supporting community organisations and local services through its Fire Safety Fund.

Earlier this year, WFRS were one of the successful applicants to the fund, which aims to support a range of fire prevention initiatives at a local level, to tackle the causes of electrically-related fires.

Innovative addition to fire safety resources
The Service has now laid out plans to use the funding to develop safety resources for young children in the form of a CD resource pack to be used in assemblies. The pack will include songs with lyrics and actions to help children learn about electrical fire safety in a fun and interactive way.

DCFO Phillips said: "We are really pleased to have received £5000 of funding for this initiative from the Electrical Safety Council.

"The assembly pack will be an innovative addition to our excellent fire safety education programme in Primary Schools throughout the county. Important safety messages will be raised effectively with children of all ages and we hope that these are also taken home."

Each year, approximately 70 people die and 350,000 are seriously injured as a result of an electrical accident in the home. And, according to government statistics, almost half of all accidental fires in UK homes – over 20,000 each year – are caused by electricity.

In this latest round of awards, the ESC has provided over £81,000 to 17 English organisations. This brings the total amount of funding provided to England through the ESC’s Fire Safety Fund, since its launch in 2009, to almost £420,000.

Phil Buckle, Director General of the ESC, said: "Our Fire Safety Fund always delivers an innovative range of projects to raise awareness of electrical fires. By funding grass roots organisations in this way, we can ensure our message of electrical safety is reaching communities through the people they trust – their own ‘home grown’ local organisations."

For more information on the Fire Safety Fund visit www.esc.org.uk