Home Fire Safety Visit Collaboration

Description

In 2023, Mayo County Fire Service initiated a pilot project for Home Fire Safety Visits, utilising a template shared by colleagues from other County Fire Services by enhancing and adapting it for a Mayo audience. This pilot project specifically targeted older family relatives of firefighters in the initial stages, and then developed into home fire safety visits for older people who requested it during attendance at fire safety talks or by word of mouth. The Home Fire Safety Visit included installation of two 10-year sealed battery-operated smoke detectors provided by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management.
In 2024, a collaboration between the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme and the Mayo County Fire Service formalised this initiative. This meant that older people living in the community could consent, through the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme, to a referral to the Mayo County Fire Service for a free Home Fire Safety Visit. Through the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme, Local Coordinators identify participants for home fire safety visits and refer them directly to the Mayo County Fire Service. They act as points of contact and advocates for older people who do not have family members or neighbours to fulfil the role of accompanying adult required for the visit.
On receipt of a referral, two firefighters from the local Fire Brigade schedule an agreed time to conduct a home visit, dedicating two hours to each person referred. They discuss escape plans, install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and identify potential fire risks to help the participant mitigate any fire hazards or potential risk behaviours.
Joint training days were held, which included a demonstration on the installation of detectors by the manufacturer. Community Gardaí participated, providing valuable feedback that was incorporated into updated questionnaires. It was also agreed during these sessions that the firefighters conducting home fire safety visits would distribute safety information leaflets along with a ‘Message in a Bottle’ pack. This community initiative, supported by emergency services, includes a plastic container for important personal information. Vulnerable individuals are encouraged to keep the bottle in their fridge and display labels at their doors to help emergency services locate it in case of an incident.

On the 27th of August 2024, after the training and consultation process, we had the formal signing of a Local Protocol of Cooperation in Fire Brigade HQ, Castlebar between the Director of Services, and the National Manager of Age Friendly Ireland, and was also endorsed with the attendance of the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council.
In February 2025, the scheme progressed, with the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme securing a quantity of carbon monoxide detectors. This further complements the provision of free smoke alarms to older people, serving as a pilot enhancement to the Mayo Home Fire Safety Visits.
The ongoing collaboration involves regular reviews to gather feedback and improve service delivery. The protocol serves as a best practice model for replicating and scaling similar partnerships between Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme and County Fire Services nationally.

Aim of Initiative

The initiative aims to empower older people to take charge of their own fire safety by identifying and addressing potential fire hazards in their homes. It seeks to provide education on fire safety awareness, highlighting the importance of recognizing risk behaviors and physical hazards, such as smoking, drying clothes near open heat sources, and overloading electrical sockets. The program also aims to promote best practices for maintaining safety, including conducting nighttime routine checklists, having an egress plan in the event of an emergency, and ensuring that smoke alarms are installed in the home and functional. Through open conversations, this initiative encourages proactive steps to minimize fire risks in activities of daily living. The collaborative initiative helps to improve the health and safety of older persons in their homes, and aligns with the vision of the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme of enabling older persons to remain in their own homes and communities with a sense of independence for as long as possible.

Who is it aimed at

Older people, over 65 years, living in the community influenced by the research that
59% of people who died in a fire between 2019 and 2023 were over the age of 65. (source: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

3 Steps critical to success

1. Pilot the home fire safety visit process with older relatives and friends. The pilot stage enables the team to identify potential barriers to successful implementation across the county, such as resource constraints, risk factors, and operational limitations within the county. This approach will facilitate the customization of the fire safety visits based on specific needs and insights gathered during the pilot stage. It increases the confidence of everyone involved in the timings and structure of the home fire safety visits. This step ensures that the voice of the older person, who is the main beneficiary of the service, is central to the planning process. The feedback from participants of the pilot are captured to inform further steps of the overall process.
2. Conduct joint training sessions for all interested parties, including, in this case, Mayo County Fire Service, Healthy Age Friendly Homes and Community Gardaí. This will facilitate the provision of a comprehensive context for the Home Fire Safety Visits. The training should encompass the following key components:
   1. Presentation of relevant statistics and research on the causes of fire incidents. learning from the pilot. Engage attendees by sharing pertinent data and findings regarding the causes of fire incidents, incorporating insights gained from the pilot stage to enhance understanding and effectiveness.
   2. An opportunity for discussion about the entire process from referral stage to the delivery of the home fire safety visit and follow-up procedures. This will encourage buy-in and foster collaboration among all involved.
   3. Incorporate interactive training elements to demonstrate various types of smoke detectors and alarms and their proper installation techniques, ensuring attendees gain practical knowledge to enhance implementation.
3. Develop a comprehensive agreement for collaborative framework. Establish a formal agreement between participating services to create a collaborative framework that clearly outlines individual responsibilities and a shared vision. This agreement should encompass the following key components:
   1. Information sharing protocol to define the process for sharing relevant information among all parties.
   2. Evaluation timelines
   3. Shared goals
   4. Terms and conditions governing the partnership, roles and responsibilities of each party, and conditions for termination.
   5. Training and education

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Reluctance to agree to a referral:
   Some older individuals may hesitate to agree to a referral to the Fire Service due to previous negative experiences with other public services. They may also be fearful, especially if they live in poor conditions, of the potential consequences if their home is deemed unsafe. It is up to us within the initiative to reassure the older person that we are only offering advice and help with detection and have no remit for anything else.
2. There are people who despite best advice are determined to continue ‘doing what they have always done’ like smoking in bed, leaving the phone on charge, drying clothes over the range. Firefighters can have a significant impact on resistance to change by sharing real-life examples of fire causes in homes they have been called out to. By discussing safer alternatives, such as designated smoking areas, they can effectively promote fire safety. It’s essential to actively involve older individuals in finding better solutions while respecting their autonomy and right to make choices in their own homes.
3. There is currently no national funding source for free Carbon Monoxide Detectors-
   At present, there is no national funding stream dedicated to the provision of carbon monoxide detectors. Currently, a limited supply is available through a pilot provision funded by Age Friendly Ireland, specifically in Mayo. There is hope that this initiative will pave the way for a future inclusion of carbon monoxide detectors in national funding, similar to the provisions for smoke detectors through the National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Increased Awareness- Project participants become more aware of general home safety, emergency preparedness and potential fire risk hazards promoting a culture of safety in the community. Increased awareness influences shifts in behavioural change. Participants adopt safer habits concerning fire usage, such as regularly checking smoke detectors and not leaving cooking unattended. It is hoped as a long-term goal that this proactive approach will lead to a decrease in emergency fire calls and related incidents for older people.
2. Improved Engagement with Older Adults- Collaborative initiatives foster stronger relationships with older residents in the community, encouraging them to participate in safety programs, voice their concerns, and enhance trust in public services. The older person has a direct personalised consultation with representatives from their local fire crew to help solve any fire safety issues and this makes the older person feel safer in their own home as a result of the visit, complemented by the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
3. Best practice model for scaling up the collaboration nationally- This is the first collaboration of its kind in Ireland. The Healthy Age-Friendly Homes Programme is demonstrating its collaboration with the Mayo County Fire Service as a best practice model to foster similar partnerships with other fire services across the country. The programme is already engaging with three additional fire services in the West North Region and has received support from the National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management for national roll-out. This will ensure consistency in service delivery to older people nationwide.