Lochcarron
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Contact details
Lochcarron Retained Station Park Road LOCHCARRON IV54 8YF Appliance: LIGHT FIRE APPLIANCE Current complement: 10 |
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Lochcarron Fire Brigade is an Upgraded Auxiliary unit in the remote north west coast of Scotland
it is part of the Highland & Islands Fire and Rescue Service.
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Left to Right: Leading Firefighter Olaf Preston,
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Left to Right: Leading Firefighter Calum Morrison
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LOCHCARRON SMOKE ALARMS
Lochcarron has finally become the first village in the UK to have smoke alarms fitted in
every house.
At the end of a long campaign run by local firefighters 206 smoke alarms – supplied free by Slough-based firm Kidde Safety – were eventually fitted and 372 houses visited.
Local firefighter, Duncan Ross, said “We started the ‘100% - No Excuses’ campaign on 1st November 2004 and we completed most of the installations in about one month. After that we had to revisit a lot of houses, sometimes going back over 20 times till we finally got people in. There was a lot of detective work that had to be done in order to find holiday home contacts and where people lived, so it took a further 10 months to get 100%.”
“One of the main problems encountered by firefighters,” said Mr Ross, “was the lack of smoke alarms in elderly households, due in large part to the ‘myth’ that they go off all the time.” He added “This was overcome by us leaving contact numbers, including a mobile and the promise that we would come round, no matter the time, to remove the alarm if there was a problem. We also said we would remove the alarm if they were not happy, but just to try it for one month. We have not had one call so far.”
“Special attention was given to those that were hard of hearing and extra alarms – which normally sell for £9 each and are supplied with a 10-year battery – were fitted to those houses so as to wake the occupier,” Mr Ross said.
Every house within the village’s 30 mph zone that didn’t already have an alarm has now been fitted and local firefighters hope to extend coverage to the whole area in time.
The importance of the Lochcarron campaign was underlined this week by new figures published by the Chief Inspector of Fire Services which showed that the number of fire fatalities in Scotland had risen from 58 last year to 74 this year. Jeff Ord’s report pointed to a lack of working smoke alarms in the homes of fire victims.
Further details of the campaign and other facts about the local Fire Service can be found on thewww.lochcarronfirebrigade.co.uk website, which
is managed by Firefighter Vicky Stonebridge. For those who require advice on fire safety,
including a home fire safety check, please call the District Office for Easter Ross & Cromarty
on 01349 852341, in order to make appointments for their local firefighters to visit or the
headquarters of Highlands & Islands Fire and Rescue Service on 01463 227000 if they live
elsewhere in the Service Area.
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As a local unit we feel very much part of
the local community. It's in everyones interest to raise awareness of fire
prevention and other issues such as road safety. We get involved with events like the
Lochcarron Highland games; Shinty gala; giving talks to the Brownies & Guides etc.; the Kyle
Fire Station's annual charity Raft Race and of course , the Firework display at Strathcarron,
which we as a Fire Unit run.
Lochcarron has their own website which can be found at
www.lochcarronfirebrigade.co.uk
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