Residents to benefit from staff fire safety training

Published by Rose Obianwu for Homes for Haringey in Communities and also in Housing

As part of a special pilot partnership between Homes for Haringey and the London Fire  Brigade, four operatives and three surveyors from the Ashley Road and Lordship Lane depots in Tottenham, have received practical training to  carry out home fire safety visits for Haringey tenants and leaseholders.

Fire officers from the London Fire Brigade Training Department conducted the training session at the Civic Centre in December.  It covered everything from how to advise residents on fire safety and avoiding  fire risks in their homes to installing smoke alarms and evacuating buildings safely.

Between December and March 2011, the team will carry out up to 200 home visits targeting elderly and vulnerable residents living independently.  As well as  the free advice and information, each household will have a free smoke  alarm professionally installed or have existing ones tested.

Councillor Bernice Vanier, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and  Cohesion, said: "This partnership is a real benefit to local Haringey   residents. Anyone who receives a home visit will be provided with life- saving fire safety advice as well as a smoke alarm.  Residents’ safety  remains our number one priority.”

The jointly funded pilot runs until the end of March 2011.

Borough Commander Richard Mills from the London Fire Brigade said, “This partnership will ensure the importance and benefits of having a working smoke alarm fitted is communicated to as wide a group of the community  as possible.  Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSV) are an integral part of the work  carried out by the London Fire Brigade and we are grateful to Homes for  Haringey for agreeing to work with us in reducing the number of  accidental fires and injuries occurring in this borough as a result.”

Homes for Haringey, Interim Fire Risk Manager, Shane Halpin, added:  “We welcome this joint initiative between Homes for Haringey and the London Fire Brigade. It represents a real opportunity to improve the safety of our residents and shows how seriously we take the risks from fire in the home. Smoke  detectors have been shown time and again to be effective in saving lives in  the outbreak of fire.”