A novel fire safety campaign will be launched by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service in August as it links up with the county’s mobile library.
Their fire prevention team will hop aboard the library van in August as it travels through scores of rural villages to deliver not just library books but also vital fire safety messages to the public.
It’s all part of the annual fire safety campaign to reduce injuries from accidental fires that traditionally increase during the summer.
Fire officers will get the opportunity to talk to people living in a total of 171 villages, hamlets and small communities during the campaign which sets off from Lydbury North, near Bishops Castle, on August 4 and ends at Dippers Bank Caravan Park, Cleobury Mortimer, on August 28.
In that time they will distribute hundreds of leaflets packed with essential fire safety tips and talk to people about the importance of having a smoke alarm installed in their homes. They will also answer any questions from members of the public during their travels in north, south, east and west Shropshire.
“With the help of the mobile library we really can reach many members of the community in our remote rural areas where older people are more at risk from fire,” said Sam Hamer, a member of the brigade’s community fire safety team.
“Traditionally there has also been a trend in Shropshire for an increase in accidental fires during the children’s school holidays.”
Safety is the key ingredient to preventing fires, said Sam, who praised the support of the mobile library.
Advice to avoid a fire in the home focuses on strategies for safe cooking in the kitchen and during barbecues which account for the majority of fires. Visit www.shropshirefire.gov.uk to download the Fire Kills leaflet.
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