Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
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Cash boost for disabled firefighters' group to go National
A group supporting disabled firefighters will receive a £10,000 grant from the government to establish itself country-wide, Fire Minister Parmjit Dhanda announced today.
The grant announcement is being made in Deaf Awareness Week (May 5-11) as UK fire and rescue services urge people with hearing problems to take Home Fire Risk Checks.
Devon & Somerset firefighter Duncan White, who suffered permanent hearing loss a few years previously, started The National Disabled Fire Association (NDFA) to provide a support network for disabled firefighters.
As well as promoting good relationships between fire and rescue services and employees affected by disability, the NDFA also aims to help disabled people in the community engage positively with the fire and rescue service.
The grant from Communities and Local Government will help to kick-start the group's national ambitions for the creation of an effective administrative framework. This should enable the group to get a national membership subscription scheme up and running.
Fire Minister Parmjit Dhanda said:
"The NDFA has the potential to play a key role in supporting firefighters affected by disability, and providing advice to fire and rescue services, but they need to reach a wider audience.
"For this reason the government is delighted to fund the administration costs of setting up the NDFA on a national scale."
He added: "This week fire and rescue services up and down the country are spreading the word that one million adults in the UK can't hear an ordinary smoke alarm. This kind of statistic highlights the pressing need for groups like the NDFA to work with fire and rescue services and the government in spreading fire safety awareness in communities to people of all abilities."
To date the NDFA has relied on the goodwill of the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, which has provided office space and staff time. But to reach a national audience the NDFA needs a more permanent source of funding and it's now aiming to build links with all the UK's Fire and Rescue Service.
Notes to Editors
1. Deaf Awareness Week runs from May 5 to 11. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) is working with FRS across the UK to promote fire safety for the hard of hearing.
2. RNID estimated in 2006 that one million adults within the UK are unable to hear an ordinary smoke alarm on account of deafness or removal of a hearing aid at night.
3. For further information about smoke alarms for deaf and hard of hearing people, contact RNID Products on 01733 361199 or visit http://www.rnid.org.uk/shop
4. For more information on fire safety visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/firekills and to book a free Home Fire Risk check visit http://www.fire.gov.uk
News Releases: http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsroom
