Media Opportunity

Issued: 11.03.10

At: 14.40

For immediate release

Don’t Drown in Toxic Smoke - Leicester City Centre Event

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service would like to invite members of the media to a media opportunity on:

Friday 12 March
10am – 2pm
Humberstone Gate, Leicester city centre

Firefighters from Central Fire and Rescue Station along with Community Safety Support Staff will be in the city centre with a smoke house and POD.

The smoke house is an inflatable structure with the external appearance of a house that is filled with smoke and when people enter it is designed to give the experience of being in a house fire, conveying the feelings of disorientation. The POD is a mock up of a flat with several fire safety hazards placed around it. It aims to increase the awareness of how very small differences made within the home can decrease the chances of having a house fire.

The aim of the roadshow is to convey just how deadly house fires are and how important if it is to own and maintain a smoke alarm.

Background Information

The Don’t Drown in Toxic Smoke campaign has been run by Fire Kills since October 2009. Its aim is to get the public to understand that just two to three breaths of toxic smoke will affect your ability to breathe, a sensation similar to drowning, as shown in the nationally advertised campaign. It stresses the vital importance of owning a working smoke alarm.

Survey results from the Fire Kills campaign show that people don't realise the dangers of toxic smoke. Of those surveyed:

• 43 per cent believe they could survive for over two minutes in a smoke filled room

• 48 per cent think the smell of smoke would alert them to a fire

• 18 per cent believe a pet or someone else would alert them to a house fire

With this in mind, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service are looking to increase the awareness of the importance of smoke alarms through holding the event in the centre of Leicester and across Leicestershire over the rest of the year.

- ENDS -

Notes to News Desk

Interview and Photo Opportunities

Firefighters and staff from our Community Safety Support Team will be available for interview.

There will be several opportunities for photography throughout the event.

Contact Information

For more information please contact:

Corporate Communications
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service
Tel: 0116 287 2241