Vol. 508 No. 4
193 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of house fires leading to death or serious injury in recent years; and the consideration, if any, given to a campaign for the installation and supply of smoke alarms, in particular to local authority houses. [19275/99]
Information supplied by fire authorities indicates that fatalities from fires in the home which were attended by fire brigades totalled 45 in 1998, 45 in 1997 and 50 in 1996.
Fire safety in the home is the responsibility of the individual householder. Better awareness of the dangers of fire and of fire hazards, together with simple common sense fire prevention practices and the installation of smoke alarms, can help to prevent and reduce the number of fires and the consequent tragic fatalities and injuries. Accordingly, the National Safety Council actively encourages fire safety in the home as part of its ongoing fire safety education and publicity campaigns. Particular stress has been placed in recent media campaigns on the routine tasks to be carried out nightly to guard against fire and on the value of smoke alarms which, if properly installed and maintained, can provide early warning of fire and save lives. In addition, local authorities have been asked by my Department to consider the provision of smoke alarms in all their rented dwellings.
The consolidated building regulations and revised technical guidance documents, which I published in 1997, recommended that all new dwellings commencing on or after 1 July 1998 be fitted with a smoke alarm operated off the mains electricity supply rather than a battery operated system.
