National Fire Safety Week, which launched this week, is urging people to check in on vulnerable neighbours to help ensure their homes are safe from fire.
National Fire Safety Week (13 – 19 October) is an annual North/South event which focuses on enhancing fire safety, particularly in the home. This year’s theme is ‘Together Against Fire’ and aims to support and protect the most vulnerable members of our community through simple actions and shared knowledge among neighbours, friends and family.
The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) is reminding people that the rate of serious house fires is much higher for older people living alone with the average age of a fire fatality being 69. The NDFEM is asking people to work together, to not only ensure their own homes are safe from fire, but also to check in on our more vulnerable members of the community to ensure their homes are fire safe too.
- Do they have working smoke alarms?
- Are their escape routes clear?
- Have they got their chimney or flue cleaned?
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne said:
“National Fire Safety Week is an important week to remind everyone, of all ages, of the dangers of fire and the simple steps people can take to keep themselves safe.
“This year, there is a particular focus on older people. We are reminding people to check on their vulnerable neighbours and particularly older people living alone to ensure their homes are fire-safe. Fire safety is essential, beginning with a basic respect for its power and often unpredictable nature. It is a force that we have to be so careful with. Every small action – checking smoke alarms, planning escape routes, and staying alert to the dangers of fire – protects lives. The reality is that small actions can save lives.”
The event was launched today, in Cookstown, and hosted by Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service. Chief Fire Officer for Monaghan Fire and Civil Protection, Dermot Brannigan said:
“Fire safety is not just the job of our fire services. It is a shared responsibility. This week, I am asking every community group, every voluntary organisation, and every neighbour to reach out to the older people in their area. A simple offer to check a smoke alarm, to clear a hallway, or to share fire safety tips can make all the difference.
Let this Fire Safety Week be more than an awareness campaign. Let it be a call to action — a call to protect, to support, and to care. Because fire safety is about people. It is about protecting lives.”
Marcus Wright, Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer at NIFRS, said:
“Fire Safety Week is an important reminder that staying safe from fire is something we all share responsibility for. It is about protecting ourselves, and those who live around us who are most at risk in our community. House fires are devastating, but simple steps can be the difference in preventing a tragedy. I would urge everyone to stay alert when cooking, checking your electrical appliances and cables, disposing of smoking materials property, testing your smoke alarm, and consider fitting additional smoke alarms in the rooms that you used most. Most importantly, look out for those around you who are living alone or are vulnerable to ensure they’re doing everything they can to stay safe from fire.”
National Fire Safety Week marks the beginning of an intensive media advertising campaign that will run through the higher risk period of fire fatality from October 2025 into 2026. The campaign will run across radio, TV and social media platforms.
The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Managements is emphasising the need for working smoke alarms in every level of the home and the need to test them regularly. The Community Smoke Alarm Scheme provides free smoke alarms to vulnerable households. To find out more about having a smoke alarm fitted as part of the Community Smoke Alarm Scheme – contact your local Fire Service or go to FireIreland.ie.
Age Friendly Ireland Shared Service and the National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management have partnered to improve the safety and wellbeing of older people through the delivery of the Home Fire Safety Visit programme. This partnership will see Local Coordinators, through the Healthy Age Friendly Homes Programme, work collaboratively with Firefighters within their respective Local Authority. The project aims at identifying older people who will benefit from a Home Fire Safety Visit. The Home Fire Safety Visit Collaboration has already successfully rolled out in Co. Mayo, Co. Leitrim and County Sligo. The National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management have committed to support Age Friendly Ireland to scale up and roll out this initiative nationally over the coming months.
Marie Nolan, Regional Programme Manager, Healthy Age Friendly Homes, West North West Region said:
“This partnership between Age Friendly Ireland and the National Directorate of Fire and Emergency Management is a simple but powerful way to support older people to live safely at home. By working with local firefighters, we’re helping to prevent risks, provide reassurance, and strengthen independence for older people right across Ireland.”
