Whg to test all high-rise smoke alarms after Grenfell Tower
Smoke alarms will be tested at every high-rise home visited by workers from housing association whg, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Strict new rules have been enforced stating repairs and inspection will not be marked as complete unless all smoke alarms in the property are tested.
If the alarms do not work then whg will provide temporary ones until arrangements can be made for them to be fixed permanently.
The measures will go ahead in order to reassure customers in Walsall about fire safety following concerns after Grenfell Tower fire in June.
WATCH: How to test your fire alarm
Other action taken by whg following the Grenfell tragedy includes having Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) competent surveyors visit each of whg’s 17 high-rise buildings.
West Midlands Fire Service is supporting the plans to ensure residents are safe.
Pardeep Raw, fire safety officer from West Midlands Fire Service, said: “We fully endorse whg’s stance of regularly testing smoke alarms.
“Smoke alarms have saved lives in the past by giving people audible early warning of fire, which could potentially prove vital. However, such alarms can only be effective if they are regularly serviced and maintained.
“You should have working smoke alarms fitted on every level of your home. They give you vital time to ‘get out, stay out and call 999’ in the event of a fire.”
The group has taken the opportunity to confirm that all their high-rise buildings conform to strict fire safety standards and have safe fire resistant external wrap.
Security measures are in place such as CCTV directly connected to colleagues in a control room meaning there will be a quick response if there a fire was to break out.
Nigel Harris, whg’s director of home maintenance services, said: “All of whg’s high-rise homes have been confirmed as safe to live in but we understand that our customers may have concerns following the tragic incident at Grenfell Tower.
“The safety of our customers is our number one priority at all times so we are taking this step to further ensure that they are safe in their homes in the unlikely event of a fire.”
Bosses at the Walsall housing association have also put together a video explaining how to test a smoke alarm which is available to view online.
