A selection of images representing communities.
Every year there are more than 50,000 accidental house fires in the UK resulting in around 300 deaths and 11,000 people injured.
Communities and Local Government aims to reduce the level of damage, injury and death caused by fires by working closely with the fire and rescue service and supporting its ongoing modernisation. We are providing a lead to drive the continuing improvement of the service in taking on a wider role, focusing more on fire prevention and protecting the public from a range of risks, like road accidents, floods and other civil emergencies.
We support the key national safety campaign Fire Kills. Its aim is to develop a long-term national fire safety strategy based three main themes. They are:
Fire Kills has already run a number of advertising campaigns such as:
The campaign plans to focus more on smoking-related fire deaths. The smoking ban in pubs and clubs from spring 2007 gives added emphasis.
There will also be a drive to reach certain groups which are at risk due to things like hearing disabilities, language barriers or cultural practices like cooking methods or using candles for festivities.