Excuses Kill. Get a Smoke Alarm.

Make a resolution to buy a smoke alarm for 2002

A thought-provoking television advertisement that aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by fires in the home was re-launched today (27 December 2001) by Minister for Fire Safety, Alan Whitehead.

The £2.5m "Excuses Kill - Get A Smoke Alarm" advertising campaign, tackles the excuses people use for not buying and fitting smoke alarms. Excuses range from "I didn't get around to it" to "I didn't know where to buy one." The campaign will run for approximately four weeks, starting tonight.

Every year nearly 400 people die and over 12,000 are injured as a result of fires in the home. Some 20% of homes still don't have smoke alarms and of those that do many are not checked to ensure they are working. People are twice as likely to die in a fire without a working smoke alarm.

Alan Whitehead, Minister for Fire Safety, said:

"I hope that everyone will make buying and fitting a smoke alarm their priority resolution for 2002.

"The "Excuses Kill - Get a Smoke Alarm" campaign is part of the Government's wider commitment to fire safety. Our objective is to stop fires happening before they start through brigades working with communities, and through national campaigns such as "Excuses Kill.

"The consequences of not having a smoke alarm can be tragic. But smoke alarms are easy to install, many cost under £5, and they can be purchased in local shops. In some areas fire brigades will come to your home and fit your smoke alarm. Every home should have at least one, and we hope that the images in this advertisement will prompt everyone to take the fire safety message seriously."

The campaign will run until 23rd January 2002. TV advertisements will appear on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and selected satellite stations including ethnic minority programming. The campaign will be backed up by promotional activity in the regions organised in conjunction with local fire brigades. GMTV will also be running a smoke alarm campaign at the end of January 2002 supporting this government initiative.

Notes for Editors

The Excuses Kill - Get A Smoke Alarm campaign was launched on 6 September 2001 by Alan Whitehead, Minister for the Fire Safety. The advertisement was rescheduled following the terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September as it was felt that the campaign imagery was inappropriate at that time.

Copies of the advertisement and other campaign material can be found at:

 http://www.dtlr.gov.uk/campaigns/firesafe/smoke/index.htm