Regenda and the fire service working together to reduce house fires

Published by Jon Land for Regenda Housing Group in Housing and also in Communities

Armed with clipboards, Community Fire Safety Officers, Fire-fighters, the Home Improvement Agency, and volunteer interpreters from the BME Fire and Safety Education Association descended on over 270 properties in the Wardleworth area of Rochdale on a Day of Action.

The purpose of this day was to raise the ownership of smoke alarms, and reduce the risk of accidental fires in the home. It also incorporated housing owned by the Regenda Group, who has joined the Fire Service in an initiative where they are funding the replacement of chip pans with deep fat fryers, in Regenda properties.

These deep fat fryers have been offered to Regenda tenants who agree to have a Home Fire Risk Assessment and qualify for a chip pan exchange. Sue Chadwick, Neighbourhood Manager at West Pennine Housing Association, part of the Regenda Group, said We are delighted to be working in-conjunction with the Community Fire Safety teams on this fantastic initiative in Wardleworth.

The scheme will raise awareness of the danger of house fires to both Regenda tenants and the local community. We are pleased to fund additional support for our tenants who will not only receive a Home Fire Risk Assessment carried out by the Fire Service but we will also provide them with deep fat fryers.

Phil Greenwood, Crew Commander, said: "We are delighted to work in partnership with Regenda on this initiative as every year in this country chip pan fires contribute to preventable fatalities and injuries, and we hope that this helps reduce the risk of such occurrences.

"If you are unlucky enough to experience a chip pan fire in your home our advice is that you turn off the heat only if it is safe to do so, close the kitchen door, get yourself and your family out, call us out, and stay out."

Wardleworth Councillor, Councillor Ahmed, said: "I think that this is a fantastic initiative as it is providing free fire safety advice and smoke alarms to some of our most vulnerable members of the community.

"It is very important to know what to do in an emergency and many residents will now have a better understanding of what they and their families should do in the event of a fire."

"I would encourage anybody living in Rochdale Borough who does not have a working smoke alarm to contact the Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 555 815 to sign up to this free service."

For further information or to arrange interviews contact: Melanie Parr OR Stephanie Baxter; PR & Marketing Manager, The Regenda Group, Regenda House, Enterprise Business Park, Northgate Close, Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6PQ Tel: 01204 814566 Reception: 01204 814 000 E-mail melanie.parr@regenda.org.uk OR stephanie.baxter@regenda.org.uk