With half of all domestic fires in the UK caused by electricity, leading safety charity, the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has established an electrical fire prevention scheme and is now calling for funding applications.

The ESC’s funding initiative, which was launched in 2009 and funded 29 community safety projects, aims to reduce deaths and injuries from electrical fires across the country.

Applicants from local community services and organisations are invited to apply for up to £5,000 worth of funding for projects that play an active role in promoting and reducing the risk of electrical fires in their local community.

Last year’s award winners used their funding to develop a range of innovative electrical fire safety programmes. For example, Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards Service tested the safety of goods bought online; and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Services used ESC funding to support their ‘Junior Fire Safety Citizen Scheme’, where 10-11 year olds carried out a basic Home Fire Safety Check for an elderly person.

To apply for funding visit www.escfiresafety.org.uk. Funding applications close on Friday 16 July 2010.

References

* CLG Fire Statistics United Kingdom 2007

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