Knowing what to do when your fire alarm goes off is the central message for National Fire Safety Week 2022 which runs until October 23rd. An advertising campaign to educate the public of safety measures to prevent fire and of key steps to take should a fire break out is to be rolled out. Households are encouraged to have a working smoke alarm and to have a plan in case it goes off. All family members young and old should know what do if the alarm goes off, where to assemble and to call 999 or 112 to alert the fire service.
20,545 fires were attended to by fire brigades in 2021. Chimney fires (including flues, soot and hot ashes) are the top cause of fire, accounting for more than 50% of fires in domestic buildings. The advice is to have chimneys and flues cleaned regularly, use a sparkguard and ensure the fire is safely burned down before going to bed. Overloaded sockets are another common cause of fire and the advice is to use high quality extensions, repair or replace faulty appliances and not to run electrical appliances while sleeping. fire safety advice is available on the website http://www.firesafetyweek.ie/
Tipperary Town Fire Service have a limited number of smoke alarms available free of charge – any person seeking one is ask to visit the Firehouse in Knockanrawley on Monday evenings.
