Lifesaving tips that can make your home a lot safer

Oct 23 2002 By Elgan Hearn, Holyhead And Anglesey Mail

LIFE SAVING advice was passed on to Anglesey residents at the Home Safety Exhibition at Holyhead Town hall last week.

The fair provided the public with information on home and fire safety, energy saving, crime prevention and grant aid.

Expert Graham Lindsey was also on hand to test up to 70 electric blankets brought in for inspection, free of charge.

Anglesey County Council chairman Cllr R L Owen said: "I'm delighted that this annual event is highlighting dangers in the home.

"Safety is taken for granted, and the electric blanket testing will hopefully save lives.

"Just from watching the tests in the morning, it showed that spilling water or a cup of tea can be fatal.

"Hopefully, people who received advice went home safer."

Huw Thomas, principal environmental health officer, explained why testing the electric blankets is so important.

"Electric blankets deteriorate with age and statistics show they are the cause of some 5,000 fires in the home every year," he said.

They tested 70 on the day and about half failed. Some would pass after alterations such as altering the fuse or plug.

Almost all blanket fires are caused by those which are more than 10 years old, and each year 20 people are killed and 100 injured in such fires.

Pupils from junior schools also attended the event, with the North Wales Fire Service's Crucial Crew providing a special attraction.

The danger of home fires was graphically illustrated by fire officers when a room in a specially-adapted mobile home is filled with harmless 'smoke'.

Children were then asked to point out fire dangers in the special unit, before being advised by Fire Officer Gwawr

Jones on how to make the room safe and deal with an emergency.

Holyhead Fire Station Commander, Huw Roberts, said: "Hopefully the children were able to learn about the dangers of fire and will be able to deal better with any situations that arise in the future.

"It was a great day, we had a fantastic response.

"Hopefully this might mean fewer callouts for us in future," he said.

The special day was arranged as partofthe contribution by the authority to European Health and Safety W eek and Energy Efficiency Week.