Firefighters in Perth and Kinross want to build on the success of decreases in accidental house fires and fire-related casualties.
Statistics show that fire crews responded to 34 incidents during the last three months of the 2015/16 financial year in the region – compared to 36 they attended during the same period in 2014/15.
Between January and March, eight people were recorded as having sustained a fire-related injury and only one of these needed to attend hospital.
It represented a significant 38% fall from the 13 fire-related casualties recorded during the same three months the year before, two of whom had to go to hospital for further treatment.
Area manager Colin Grieve, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) local senior officer, said: “It is now more than four years since the last person was killed as a result of a fire in Perth and Kinross.
“In the recent past we would often see two, three or more people killed every year, so there’s absolutely no doubt that improving fire safety within homes makes a real difference.
“It’s obviously great progress but none of us can ever take our safety for granted.”
He continued: “Fire in the home can be absolutely devastating.
“Even if no-one is hurt the loss of irreplaceable possessions, cherished memories and the sense of security leaves a lasting impact that can take someone a very long time to get over.
“There are a lot of things we can do to help people make fires much less likely to happen in their home.”
Mr Grieve said SFRS have an “increasingly targeted approach” to community safety activities and work with partners to deliver joint safety visits has led to the fall in house fires.
“Reaching those who could most benefit from our support has historically been a challenge, but sharing information allows agencies to identify where someone could be at risk,” he added.
“Fire can happen to anyone and we all need to protect our homes and those of the people close to us.”
The SFRS have stated that cooking remains the main cause of fires within the home and firefighters are eager for people to recognise this. Officers have also advised that items that could easily catch fire, like kitchen roll or towels, should never be kept near to sources of ignition.
SFRS crews routinely share this advice while conducting free home fire safety visits. Teams in Perth and Kinross carried out 461 such visits between January and March this year.
Free home fire safety visits are available by phoning 0800 073 1999, by texting ‘FIRE’ to 80800 or by visiting www.firescotland.gov.uk.
