Sligo County Council and Age Friendly Ireland partner up to enhance home safety for older residents in County Sligo
Sligo County Council and Age Friendly Ireland have joined forces to improve the safety and well-being of older residents in the county.
A joint Protocol of Cooperation was officially signed on Tuesday 5th August, at County Buildings, Riverside, Sligo by Martin Lydon, Chief Executive, Sligo County Council and Eimear McCormack, Acting National Manager Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme, Age Friendly Ireland.
The new partnership will see fire-fighters from the 4 fire stations in County Sligo conducting free home fire safety checks for older people, referred to them by the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme.
The Home Fire Safety Check will involve two fire-fighters from the local Fire Brigade arranging to visit the person, who shall be accompanied by a friend / neighbour, in their home.
The meeting involves a conversation regarding escape plans, the installation of a free smoke alarm within the home, the identification of any potential fire risks within the home to help the older person understand potentially fire hazardous situations within the home.
Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Dónal Gilroy commented:
“This programme is a welcome initiative that will keep older residents of the county safe and living in their homes. Sligo Fire Service provide an outstanding community fire service to the people of this county and this new outreach programme will bring further comfort to older people and their families in County Sligo”.
Marian Coakley, Chief Fire Officer with Sligo County Council, highlighted the increased fire risks for older individuals and the crucial role that home fire safety checks play. “The risks associated with fires in the home increase as we get older, and fire safety checks for older people are therefore a vital part in enabling older people to stay safe in their own home”.
“We are delighted to be involved in this collaborative initiative which will allow us to work in parallel with the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme in protecting older people in their homes.”
She noted that both Sligo Fire Service and Age Friendly Ireland recently completed joint training for the Home Fire Safety Checks, ensuring that fire-fighters are equipped to provide valuable assistance to older residents. The success of this initiative in County Sligo could serve as a model for similar partnerships across Ireland.
Eimear McCormack, Acting National Manager Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme at Age Friendly Ireland, emphasized the importance of this collaboration, saying, “It is great to be involved in this collaborative and innovative project with Sligo Fire Service. This project will help to improve the health and safety of Sligo’s older people by providing practical advice and assistance to prevent fires. This initiative aligns with the Healthy Age Friendly Homes aims of enabling older people to remain in their own homes and communities with a sense of independence for a long as possible”
What are Home Fire Safety Visits?
- A Home Fire Safety Check is a visit to a participating person’s home by members of Sligo Fire Service who will provide advice on how to stay safe from fire in the home.
- Each visit will be carried out by at least two uniformed fire-fighters from the person’s local fire station.
- During the visit the fire-fighters will fit a new smoke alarm or show the person how to test their existing smoke alarm, if they already have one. They will explain the potential fire risks in the home, provide practical fire safety advice, and explain the importance of having a night-time fire safety routine and a fire escape plan.
- The Home Fire Safety Visit takes approximately 30 minutes and participants are advised to have a family member / friend / neighbour / care worker to be present so that they can assist with relaying the advice.
- If you feel that you would benefit from a Home Fire Safety Visit, and are over 65 years old, please contact Sligo Fire Service on 071 9111404 or by e-mail at communityfiresafety@sligococo.ie and a member of your local Fire Brigade will be in touch.
About Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme (Age Friendly Ireland)
The Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme aims to support older people to live in their own home with dignity and independence, for as long as possible. The programme’s ambition is to enable everyone to live longer healthier lives by keeping care close to home and expanding the range of health and social care services in the community. It is about providing a range of alternatives for older people who may otherwise transition into long term residential care prematurely.
To do this, they have appointed a Local Healthy Age Friendly Homes Coordinator in all local authorities. Each Local Coordinator will case manage a support package for each person referred, linking the supports from the variety of public, voluntary, private and community agencies in the area.
The purpose of this referral is to identify an older person who could benefit from some extra help and support in order to continue living in their own home. The Local Coordinator will carry out a home-based assessment and, in partnership with the older person, will identify and design a range of supports to enable the older person to continue living independently. This will not affect any current home help, medical card, pension, or other services being received.
If you feel that you would benefit from a referral to the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme, and are over 65 years old, please contact the National Office on 046 9248899.
