More than 75 per cent of all fire-related deaths in the State are in the home, yet most could be avoided by a fully-functioning smoke alarm costing £5. That is the message the National Safety Council is trying to get across this week in its annual fire safety awareness campaign.
Under the theme "Do you have a smoke alarm . . . and does it work?" the council recommends that each home have at least two smoke alarms. These should be checked ideally once a week.
A recent survey undertaken by the council found that more than 25 per cent of Irish homes did not have a smoke alarm. Of those with alarms, however, only 9 per cent tested them at least once a week to check if they were working, with 25 per cent checking once a month.
"This is something we're very concerned about. A non-operable smoke alarm could give a false sense of security, the results of which could be fatal," said Mr Cartan Finegan, chairman of the council.
"The battery in the smoke alarm generally will last for a year and it is absolutely essential to replace the spent battery immediately, otherwise the alarm will not work. To monitor the situation the smoke alarm button should be pressed weekly and action taken if it does not work."
Another worrying statistic from the survey was that 46 per cent of respondents said they rarely if ever thought about a fire starting in their home. According to the council, the vast majority of those who do think about it only do so occasionally.
"The fire brigade attended more than 30,000 fires last year, and over 60 people were killed. Surely it is time to wake up," said Mr Finegan.
As part of National Fire Safety Week, which runs until Monday, he said, the council would be alerting "home-owners, parents, guardians and flat-dwellers to the need for, first, appropriate fire prevention measures and, second and most importantly, an early alert system to warn of fire outbreak, thus ensuring that everybody can be safely evacuated".
Department of Environment statistics on fire-related deaths do not indicate a definite increase in recent years. However, the number of fatalities in 1996 and 1997 were above average, with last year's total of 62 the highest since 1985.
The main causes of fires are soot-blocked chimney flues, malicious action, cooking and heating, rubbish-burning, faulty equipment and children playing with matches or cigarette lighters. In 1996 these categories accounted for 87 per cent of all known causes.
However, anecdotal evidence suggests that a disproportionate number of fatal fires are related to chip-pan and smoking accidents, often with alcohol involved. The major risk groups are the under12s and over-65s, with most fatalities occurring at night.
A spate of fire fatalities last year among elderly people living alone in rural areas led to a special project by the Western Health Board whereby pensioners living in Cos Galway, Mayo and Roscommon were visited by community workers to discuss fire prevention measures. The National Safety Council plans to extend the scheme to another health board area before January.
As part of National Fire Safety Week, more than 140,000 leaflets and posters are being distributed to local authorities, schools and public offices throughout the State. Local authorities are also undertaking their own initiatives, such as Tipperary North Riding County Council which is paying for firemen to install 400 smoke alarms in local homes free of charge.
Ms Maria Melia, assistant chief fire officer at the county council, said: "The home is the one place we have no authority to check whether there is a smoke alarm or a proper evacuation procedure in place".
She stressed the need to monitor smoke alarms to check they were working, adding that a typical nine-volt battery should be replaced once a year.
Some alarms are fitted with a lithium battery which should last for five years. Alternatively, home-owners can install alarms which are wired to their mains.
While battery alarms are cheaper and easier to install, mains-powered alarms need not be checked regularly. As they are connected to the mains, they can be set to go off in tandem or can be linked to a burglar alarm.
A recent survey of alarms by the Consumer Association of Ireland recommended the Dicon Micro 300AP at £9 as the best battery-powered model and the Dicon 370 MBX at £21 and EI Professional 156 TL at £37 as the best mains-powered models.
Under revised building regulations, all homes built after July 1st last should have two mains-powered smoke alarms installed. They should also have openable bedroom windows, large enough to be used by adults as a secondary means of escape.