A fire safety campaign, whose message is that excuses as well as fires can kill, is taking place from October 12 to November 9 in a joint effort between the London Fire Brigade and Croydon Council.

The campaign places emphasis on the fact that there are no excuses for not fitting a smoke alarm or maintaining it properly.

Smoke alarms cost only five pounds but their effectiveness in saving lives is priceless.

Earlier this year, a six-year-old girl Taylor Morrow died in a house fire in Woodside and fire fighters warned of the importance of keeping and monitoring fire alarms.

Then teacher Jacqueline Sutherland, 29, died in a house fire in August in Woodside and similar warnings were repeated.

Smoke alarms are even available with vibrations and flashing lights for the deaf - for details call the Royal National Institute for the Deaf on 020 7296 8000.

Standards must be maintained for reliability.

Alarms must have a British Standard Kitemark and the battery must be fully charged and checked regularly with low batteries being replaced.

It is also recommended that they are installed in all living areas except the kitchen and bathroom and that a vacuum cleaner be used to get rid of any dust.

The campaign will offer 15,000 council households in Croydon free smoke detectors in a rolling programme of installation starting in early 2002.

Councillor Maggie Mansell said: "The action is part of a comprehensive programme working with council tenants to protect against fire.

"It is also a direct response to consultation with tenants who have the installation of smoke detectors as a main priority within the council's next five-year housing repair and improvement programme."

October 23, 2001 17:00