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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 on 8th May.
The grant announcement was 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.
