The Government’s Fire Kills campaign and Bowls England are joining forces to promote fire safety in the home to bowls fans, enthusiasts and players.  Fire Kills is sponsoring the 2009 and 2010 Bowls England Women’s National Triples Championship.   This year’s final is being held at Royal Leamington Spa from Saturday 1st August to Tuesday 4th August.  Finalists from across England are competing for one of the top titles in the sport of bowls.

By sponsoring the women’s triples finals, Fire Kills intends to bring vital fire safety messages to a new audience. Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service will attend the championship games to highlight the importance of having working smoke alarms and encourage take up for Home Fire Risk Checks.  Those who sign up for Home Fire Risk Checks during the event will automatically be entered into a competition to win high quality bowling equipment.

A representative from Warwickshire FRS will also present the Championship winners with their prizes at the close of the competition.

Sir Ken Knight, Chief Fire & Rescue Advisor says, “The Fire Kills campaign is always looking for new and innovative ways to get our vital messages across to new audiences. We hope that by sponsoring the Women’s National Triples Championship, people at the tournaments will be reminded of the importance of fire safety in the home.”

Tony Allcock MBE, Chief Executive of Bowls England, added, “Thousands of women across our 35 counties battle it out to reach the Women’s National Triples Championship at Royal Leamington Spa. I am delighted to welcome Fire Kills as the official sponsors of the 2009 National Triples Championship and to thank them for their support.  Fire safety is a really important issue and it’s essential that our members and their families are aware of fire safety in the home.”

The Fire Kills campaign will have a strong visual presence at the Triples Championship with branded banners and Fire Safety literature available during the Championship.

For more information on fire safety or to find out more information about free Home Fire Risk Checks, visit www.direct.gov.uk/firekills.

Here are Sir Ken’s top tips to staying safe from fire in the home:
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and test the batteries weekly
• Take care when cooking - take pans off the heat if you need to leave the kitchen and be careful with hot oil.
•Avoid overloading plug sockets – keep to one plug per socket.
•Put it out. Right out. Stub cigarettes out properly and dispose of them carefully.
• Be careful with candles – avoid placing on top of a TV or plastic bath tubs or near materials that could catch fire, like curtains.
• Plan an escape route for your home - and make sure everyone knows it.
• In the event of a fire ‘Get Out, Stay Out and Call 999’ – don’t try to tackle fires yourself.

Your local fire and rescue service offers free Home Fire Risk Checks. To get details on how to request one or for more information on fire safety visit www.directgov.uk/firekills