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| ESC is committed to reducing deaths and injuries caused by electrical accidents at home or the workplace |
The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has just announced the successful projects in its 2010 Fire Safety Fund Awards scheme.
Twenty three organisations throughout the UK will share over £100,000 of funding for specific regional initiatives to reduce the incidence of fires relating to electricity in homes. With around half of all domestic fires in the UK caused by electricity (either electrical faults or misuse of appliances), this is a key issue for the ESC.
Applications were received from a diverse range of organisations, including regional fire and rescue services, trading standards offices, councils and charities. Successful projects include: electric blanket testing and replacement days, training sessions for young carers, awareness raising events and a play touring local schools.
To be awarded funding, applicants need to demonstrate that their projects would benefit groups who may not receive help through other routes. The ESC is particularly keen to target vulnerable people such as the elderly or the young.
All the schemes are locally based and all are inspired by a specific need in the area. For example, Wandsworth Council’s initiative, aimed at young carers, was designed in response to two fire incidents revealing a need for this group of potentially isolated youngsters to receive information in an easily accessible format.
Twenty three organisations throughout the UK will share over £100,000 of funding for specific regional initiatives |
The Risk Factory, a safety organisation based in Edinburgh, looked at figures from the Scottish Community Fire Safety Survey that state 47% of victims of accidental dwelling fires are over the age of 60. Their project, to be run in partnership with Lothian and Borders Fire & Rescue Service, therefore involves the development of a new programme to highlight everyday electrical dangers to the elderly.
Announcing the successful projects, Lorraine Carney, Campaigns Manager at the ESC, said: “Our charity is all about helping people to stay safe: we are delighted to work with local partners to support immediate and effective campaigns that can have a real impact. The Fire Safety Fund Awards are designed to help initiatives that may not receive mainstream funding and in the current climate we see this role being more important than ever.”
This is the second year that the ESC has distributed its Fire Safety Fund Awards, with 29 projects supported in 2009. The Electrical Safety Council is a charity committed to reducing deaths and injuries caused by electrical accidents at home and at work. To find out more about the ESC, go to the website.
