Last night, Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service (LBFRS) received top honours at the COSLA Excellence Awards.  Recognised for its Home Safety Check programme, LBFRS was recognised with the Chair’s Award which recognises outstanding quality of service to the public. 

Cllr Ken Harrold, Convenor of the Lothian and Borders Fire Board said: “Preventing fires is the key to reducing fire deaths, so it is exciting that we have been recognised for a programme that takes that message right to residents where it is most important, in their homes.” 

Communities within Scotland experience more house fires, with associated fire deaths and casualties, than any other area in the UK. Following a successful pilot of the Home Safety Check programme in West Lothian in 2004, the programme was rolled out to the rest of the Service.  To date, LBFRS firefighters have visited 100,363 homes, conducted 20,360 home safety checks and installed 19,438 smoke detectors.

The Home Safety Check programme is a free service for residents in the Lothian and Borders area.  Local firefighters visit homes in the area, share important fire safety information with the residents and fit free smoke detectors if needed.  The programme is an initiative of the Service Improvement Plan which is aimed at improving intervention and prevention services to as many people throughout the Lothian and Borders area as possible. 

Cllr Ken Harrold said: “This programme is a major step towards making families and entire communities more aware, and subsequently safer, from the devastating effects of fire.”