East Sussex Blazes In Home "Lowest Number Ever" Say Firefighters

Tuesday, 1 September 2020 21:44

By John Warburton @Warblefly

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (library image)

The number of accidental fires in the home has fallen to its lowest ever recorded in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said it intends to present the statistic, as part of its Annual Outcome report, to the East Sussex Fire Authority on 3 September 2020.

Chief Fire Officer Dawn Whittaker said:

“This report shows some extremely positive results with reductions across many areas but of particular significance is the drop in the number of accidental fires in the home.

"There were 453 in 2019/20 - that 11% less than in the previous year. Injuries and fatalities are also lower than the previous year.

"This is a reflection of the ongoing work our teams carry out in preventing emergencies.

"Over 10,000 home safety visits were made in 2019/20, with advice given and smoke alarms fitted where needed.

"9 out of 10 of these special visits were to those in our community who are most at risk of having a fire."

"We are not complacent. Despite the challenges from Covid19, we continue to reach thousands of households which may need our help and support.”

In Figures...

Fires are most likely to be very small - 78% of accidental fires in the home required either no firefighting intervention or only minimal action such as using a fire extinguisher or removing the item from a heat source.
66% of accidental fires in the home were in kitchens, with cooking and faulty electrics common causes.
Overall fires affecting property (known as Primary fires) were 12% lower to 1,041.
Over 850 commercial businesses received support and additional safety advice from our Business safety teams and our operational crews.
Industrial and Commercial fires are down in 2019/20 compared to the previous year.

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