Pick up a free smoke alarm – it could save your life

It's Fire Safety Week in the Shropshire Star, and readers have already started claiming their free smoke alarms from our offices around the county.

The Star has joined forces with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service to give away free smoke alarms – a move which could help to save lives.

The fire safety initiative has been prompted by the fact that seven people have lost their lives in Shropshire house fires over the past 12 months.

It's the highest death toll in 13 years . . . and fire officers say several could have been avoided if the properties had been fitted with working smoke alarms.

Hundreds of free smoke alarms are now available at seven Shropshire Star offices.

John Redmond, Shropshire's deputy chief fire officer, said the authority had proof that smoke alarms were already saving lives in the county.

He said: "There have been 41 occasions since last April that people have been alerted to fires in their homes and been able to leave their properties due to smoke alarms that Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service have installed as part of its prevention campaign."

The free smoke alarms are now available from seven Shropshire Star offices - Telford, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Oswestry, Newport and Market Drayton.

How to claim your free smoke alarm

Seven Shropshire Star offices are giving away free smoke alarms to those who qualify. Priority will be given to those who are over the age of 75, with a disability or long-term sickness.

Relatives are able to collect alarms on behalf of family members. Only one alarm will be given out, per family, subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply.

TELFORD: Waterloo Road, Ketley, TF1 5HU

SHREWSBURY: 7 Bellstone, SY1 1HU

LUDLOW: The Angel, Broad Street, SY8 1NG

OSWESTRY: 14 Salop Road, SY11 2NU

MARKET DRAYTON: 81 Shropshire Street, TF9 7AL

NEWPORT: 32 St Mary Street, TF10 7AL

BRIDGNORTH: 50A High Street, WV16 4DX

Everyone issued with an alarm will be asked to fill in a contact information form. This is purely for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service's own information purposes, and will not be shared with any other agencies for marketing purposes.

Firefighters will also be out and about this week giving out fire safety advice as part of the campaign.

In Oswestry, they be at the market, from 10am to noon on April 4, outside Clinton Cards from 1pm-3pm on April 5, and outside Sainsbury's from 11am-1pm on April 6.

In Bridgnorth, they will be under the Town Hall on April 3 or 4, and at Sainsbury's on April 5 during the afternoon.

And in Telford, teams from Telford Central and Wellington stations will be at B&Q at various times between 10.30am and 5pm on April 7 and 10.

DIY chain B&Q is also supporting the campaign, and offering discounts on a range of smoke alarms at its stores in Telford and Shrewsbury this week.