8th February 2012
Elderly people in Merseyside are to be offered free heaters if their home does not contain electrical central heating under a new scheme designed to keep vulnerable householders warm this winter.
Pensioners in Southport will be given oil-filled radiators free of charge by Merseyside Fire & Rescue and Sefton Council.
The initiative aims to cut down on the number of households using dangerous heating equipment or that have no central heating boilers in place.
There are enough units to go to 140 homes and they will be given out to people on a first come, first served basis from seven fire stations in the vicinity, although a carer or community professional will have had to refer their patient to the scheme beforehand.
Many over-65s could take home a Dimplex panel heater, as Dimplex has joined up with other external companies to provide the heating equipment.
Phil Garrigan, deputy chief fire officer for Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, commented: "We are delighted to offer people the opportunity for vulnerable, elderly people to swap their unsafe heating methods for safer oil-filled radiators.
"Through the amnesty we aim to reduce fire deaths caused by dangerous heating and excess winter deaths resulting from cold conditions."
The scheme coincides with a similar one run by the same organisation in Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton, which is providing free radiators to the homes of vulnerable individuals under the Emergency Heating Campaign.
Meanwhile, consumers in West Yorkshire are being urged to keep their electric wall panel heater safe and take steps to maintain electrical equipment.
West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service's Electrical Fire Safety Week highlighted the importance of keeping electrical items clean of dust and dirt, moving furniture and curtains away from heating equipment, and not overloading plug sockets.
Posted by Adam Simmons
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