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Spring clean your smoke alarm

As spring is in the air, it’s a traditional time for householders to tidy and clean up their homes. 

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) is encouraging people to include an additional but lifesaving task – spring clean your smoke alarm.

Lloyd Crawford, Southern Area Group Commander, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service explained, “Take a few potentially lifesaving minutes to spring clean your smoke alarms by simply opening up the alarm and gently vacuuming inside it to remove any dust or insects that may be hiding within it.

“Doing this twice a year and testing your smoke alarm once a week, by pressing the test button enabling the alarm to sound for at least 5 seconds,will ensure that your smoke alarm is in perfect working order.A working smoke alarm will alert you and your family to the earliest stages of a fire giving you vital extra time to escape.

“Our percentage of smoke alarm ownership in Northern Ireland is 98% however they need to be tested every week to ensure they are working – that’s the only way they can help save lives.”

“6 people have lost their lives in accidental house fires to date this year (1 January – 21 April 2013) and tragically 2 people lost their lives in recent days.

“We want to reach a stage where we have no fatalities in Northern Ireland due to accidental house fires and would encourage everyone to ensure they have working smoke alarms and to make fire safety in the home their number one priority.

“We would ask people to also remember their older or vulnerable neighbours who might also benefit from your help to ensure their smoke alarm is properly maintained.

“A free Home Fire Safety Check could also form part of your spring cleaning routine.Firefighters will check your home to help make them fire safe. They will check for appliances that could cause fire, help with any actions to avoid fire and most importantly ensure that your smoke alarm is working.

Crawford added, “If necessary we will fit a free smoke alarm for you. To arrange a free Home Fire Safety Check for your own home and also for vulnerable and older family, friends and neighbours call 028 9260 0477, Text phone/Minicom 028 9262 8800 or go to our Website www.nifrs.org for further information.”

Short URL: https://newrytimes.com/?p=31008

Posted by on May 1 2013. Filed under Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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