NORTHERN Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) and the Fermanagh and Omagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), on behalf of all PCSPs in Northern Ireland (NI), have teamed up to provide important fire safety messages to all P5 children across the country and any of those in P6 who missed out last year.

With schoolchildren returning to classrooms, but with firefighters still unable to deliver fire safety advice in person, NIFRS – with the support of the PCSPs – has launched a new way of delivering vital home fire safety advice to children in NI.

NIFRS will contact every primary school in NI and offer pupils the opportunity to learn how to keep themselves and their families safe from fires in the home through a video starring firefighters, and hosted by radio and TV presenter Kathryn Wilson.

This video will be complemented by interactive safety packs, designed to teach children about the importance of fire safety in the home.

The Chair of the Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP, Councillor John McClaughry, said: “I am really pleased that we have been able to support this project, to help teach our children about the importance of fire safety in the home.

“Partnership working is fundamental to the successful efforts of the PCSPs in making our community a safer place.

"Covid-19 has meant that we’ve all had to do things differently, but we’re proud that PCSPs across NI have continued to work hard to make our community safer.”

Assistant Chief Fire and Rescue Officer, Paddy Gallagher, said: “This is another great example of how we work with our partners to make our community safer.

"Providing fire safety talks to children in P5 is a really important part of the work we do to prevent fires happening in the first place, and I’m really glad that we’ve found a new and exciting way to deliver these messages.

“Like all organisations, we’ve adapted to the challenges presented by Covid-19 and I want to thank the PCSP for their effort and support in this project.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve seen a rise in accidental fires in the home, which just reinforces how important it is that we inform and educate our community on how they can keep themselves safe,” he said.