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This article was first published on November 29th, 2007.
Community Smoke Alarm Scheme Launched
Monaghan County Council has joined forces with Monaghan Community Forum in an effort to identify Co. Monaghan’s most vulnerable households and fit them with smoke alarms at no cost.
The Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government has made funding available to Local Authorities to purchase smoke alarms for 500 homes in 2007/ 08. Each home will receive two 10-year self-contained battery-operated smoke alarms. The Minister has specifically asked that the scheme be rolled out through the community & voluntary sector, who he views as being best placed to reach the most vulnerable people in their community.
Monaghan County Council and Monaghan Community Forum are seeking the help of community groups in identifying vulnerable homes in their community and in installing the smoke alarms. The Office of Community & Enterprise will assist groups to carry out an audit of their area and to identify those homes most at risk within their community. The Council will then supply the smoke alarms based on the findings of the audit, and the Fire Service will assist in installing the alarms and providing information to the householder.
Vulnerable homes include people living in private rented accommodation, older people and people living alone. Speaking at the Launch of the Scheme at Monaghan Community Forum’s AGM on Tuesday night last, 20th November, Carol Lambe of the Council’s Office of Community & Enterprise welcomed the scheme and urged communities to take advantage of the scheme so that tragedies such as that in Ballybay on the previous weekend would be a thing of the past in Co. Monaghan.
Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Dermot Brannigan, gave the communities present at the AGM a very enlightening talk about fire safety and prevention in the home. He added that 20% of Irish homes don’t have a smoke alarm, and that it takes just 3 minutes to die from smoke inhalation. He urged all homes to prepare and practice a fire drill, especially with children, and to keep keys to doors and windows in the locks or very close by, so that they could be opened quickly in an emergency. He reminded those present that visibility can be very poor and that simple things like keeping a torch beside the bed could make all the difference when it comes to getting out of a burning building alive.
Mr Adge King, Director of Community & Enterprise for Monaghan County Council, officially launched the scheme and thanked Monaghan Community Forum for getting involved in the programme. He complemented the Forum, which he said is being hailed as a model of good practice at national level, and wished them every success in the future.
Mr King encouraged community groups to make contact with his Office if they were interested in bringing the scheme to their area. His Office will give groups every assistance to identify local households in need of smoke alarms, and to install the alarms.
If you, or a community group you are involved with, are interested in becoming involved in delivering this scheme, please contact the Office of Community & Enterprise, Monaghan County Council on 047 38140, or email Carol Lambe at clambe@monaghancoco.ie for further information.
Help Protect Your Community This Winter – Install a Free Smoke Alarm in a Vulnerable Person’s Home
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