Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) will be ensuring hundreds of residents over the age of 65 have working smoke alarms in their homes as part of its support for Older Person’s Day.

Fire crews, Vulnerable Persons Advocates and support staff from MFRS will spend the day in our communities on Tuesday 1st October, offering fire safety advice and fitting free smoke alarms in homes where residents are known to be over 65.

During the afternoon, there will be an afternoon tea event at MFRS headquarters for older people, organised in partnership with local older people’s community groups. This will include entertainment and a visit to our Heritage Museum – which has recently been endorsed by AdvantAGE Age Confident - during which fire safety advice will be discussed and handed out.

The safety campaign – organised in support of the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Home Safety Week 2019 (30th September – 6th October) - will run throughout the day and will cover Liverpool, Wirral, St Helens, Sefton and Knowsley.

This will be the seventh consecutive year that MFRS has supported Older Person’s Day. Last year, MFRS staff – including more than 80 support staff and volunteers - left their day jobs and visited more than 1,000 properties and completed 686 Home Fire Safety Checks for older residents.

During these visits, 37 residents were found to be at high risk from potential fires in their home, something which may not have been discovered without the visits on Older Person’s Day. In addition, around 760 smoke alarms were installed.

Group Manager for Prevention, Mark Thomas, said: “We are extremely proud to be able to show our support for Older Person’s Day and carry out this crucial day of activity. Our older residents can be particularly at risk of fires in their homes, especially as they may still be using older appliances and may not be able to check their smoke alarms as easily.

“Prevention work saves lives and whilst our teams are out in the community on a daily basis carrying out Home Fire Safety Checks, having the support of additional firefighters, staff volunteers, local Authority partners and our own Authority members on Older Person’s Day means we are able to visit even more homes and share important advice with those most at risk. Carrying out such activity will help to save even more lives amongst some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

If you are over 65 and would like to receive a free Home Fire Safety Check, please call 0800 731 5958.