HOUSING
Safety first
More than £ 8million has been spent on improving fire safety in council housing in the borough since 2016 , reports Philip Brent .
The upgrades being undertaken by Ealing Council include the renewal of doors and doorframes , on front entrances and in communal corridors – as well as those protecting staircases , and other protection screens and fire doors .
Work to make sure each flat is correctly sealed has also been carried out , where necessary . This work is called ‘ fire stopping ’ and helps prevent a fire from spreading from flat to another .
All the work has been independently inspected and certified .
By the end of June 2018 , fire improvement work will have been completed in 35 residential blocks , and the council would have installed more than 3,000 new doors . The third year of this ongoing programme is about to begin .
June will see the one-year anniversary of the tragic events at Grenfell Tower in the neighbouring borough of Kensington and Chelsea .
Officers from Ealing Council were among the first to go in to assist at Grenfell as part of the multi-agency response effort after the fire .
None of the housing blocks owned by Ealing Council had cladding of the type found at Grenfell Tower , but fire safety advice is regularly provided to all council tenants and leaseholders .
In the council ’ s sheltered housing blocks , as extra precautions for older
Fit a smoke alarm tenants , the alarm systems have also been upgraded and are monitored 24 hours a day , seven days a week .
Meanwhile , in housing for vulnerable residents , ‘ misting systems ’ have been installed . If there is a fire , it emits a mist of water that subdues the fire by ‘ suffocating it with steam ’. It causes less water damage than sprinklers cause to a property ( and to neighbours ’).
Fire safety is important for everyone and the London Fire Brigade recommends everyone installs at least one smoke alarm in their home . There are other tips too at www . london-fire . gov . uk / safety / the-home Councillor Peter Mason , cabinet member for housing , planning and transformation , said : “ Smoke alarms provide a vital early warning of fires and can allow you extra time to escape if there is one in your home . In a short DIY video our home maintenance expert can show you how to fit one at ealingnewsextra . co . uk / features / diy-smoke-alarms “ Landlords are legally required to install smoke alarms in rental properties and could face fines if they fail to comply .”
8 around ealing June 2018