Mosque scheme launched

Friday Prayers will be used to highlight to the Rochdale community the importance of working smoke alarms and Home Safety Checks.

Firefighters, volunteers and community safety advisors (CSAs) from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) will be visiting mosques around the Wardleworth area of the town.

Staff will also be visiting streets around the mosque offering free Home Safety Checks to residents and encouraging people to swap chip pans for deep fat fryers.

CSA Robina Yasmin said: “The mosque initiative will be rolled out over a number of weeks and the idea is to go to the mosques after Friday prayers and engage with the congregation and spread the message about staying safe in their homes and the importance of working smoke alarms.

“We have not targeted this area for around three years and we thought that visiting the mosques would be a great way to reach the community. The Imam of the mosque will also be asked to give out some fire safety advice after the sermon.”

Firefighters have been visiting homes across Greater Manchester for many years to fit smoke alarms but during those visits they also provide important fire safety information and plan escape routes to give families the best possible chance of survival should a fire occur.

However, there are some households where it has been difficult to get into homes to do this work because of barriers such as language, disability or cultural custom and practices.

Borough Manager Tony Lander said: “We hope to encourage more communities in Rochdale to work with us to keep their homes and families safe.

“By breaking down language and cultural barriers together with our community safety advisors, we are able to carry out Home Safety Checks in various languages such as Urdu and Bengali as well as English.”

The locations and times of the visits are as follows: Jamia Masjid Bilal, Bulwar Street – 5 October; Jalalia Jame Masjid, Trafalgar Street – 12 October; Al Quba Islamic Centre, Aboukir Street – 16 November; and the Masjid and Islamic Centre, South Street – 23 November.

For a free Home Safety Check, which could include the fitting of smoke alarms, call 0800 555 815, or visit
www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/home_fire_risk_assessments.aspx

For advice on fire safety at home, please visit www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/home_fire_safety.aspx