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27 April 2007
New deep fat fryers and replacement electric blankets will no longer be routinely available through the local fire and rescue service.
Over the past six years West Yorkshire’s firefighters undertaking home safety visits have given away more than 11,000 deep fat fryers in exchange for old chip pans and issued 7,000 replacement electric blankets. Although the number of fires caused by blankets and chip pans is falling it is believed this trend no longer relies on fire service support.
“There were 184 chip pan fires last year, and just nine caused by electric blankets,” said Assistant Chief Fire Officer Craig McIntosh. “It must be questioned how much these figures could be improved by continuing to invest on general distribution. In any event, supplying things like deep fat fryers undermines much of the work carried out by other agencies to combat obesity and promote healthy eating.
“We now want to focus our help much more closely on those at greatest risk in our community.”
Councillor Peter Harrand, who chairs the Fire Authority’s Finance and Resources Committee, said whilst blankets and fryers would still be supplied freely to those at high risk it was hoped to redirect some of the cash to provide other forms of help including sprinkler systems, bedding and safe ashtrays.
“Through tighter control measures and supplying a wider variety of items to the most vulnerable we are confident we can continue to drive down preventable fire deaths and injuries in the home,” he added.
The committee unanimously asked for a report after six months on how the changes were working.