Image caption:Watch Manager, Murray Cox (SFRS), Station Manager, Graeme Laird (SFRS), Customer Relationship Manager, Shona Horn (SSEN), Community Advocate, Jennifer Forsyth (SFRS) and Local Authority Liaison Officer Assistant, Shona MacDonald (SFRS).
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) are joining forces to look after those most vulnerable in the Moray and Aberdeenshire regions this winter.
A partnership between the two organisations will see SFRS employees promote SSEN's Priority Services Register (PSR) to make sure those who need a little extra help during power cuts or emergency situations receive it from SSEN's specialist teams this winter.
Every hour of every day there's a house fire in Scotland and to help combat potential incidents before they happen, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service offers free home fire safety visits to help people spot possible fire hazards and organise potentially life-saving fire escape plans. Their teams will also provide advice and guidance and fit smoke alarms free of charge if your home requires them.
From this month onwards, teams carrying out home fire safety visits in Moray and Aberdeenshire are now actively promoting SSEN's Priority Services Register, a free-to-join UK-wide service for anyone who may need extra support during a power cut. SSEN's specially trained teams can provide reassuring calls and texts to keep customers informed, a dedicated Freephone number to provide assistance and even adapted services or emergency generation for customers who rely on electrically-powered medical equipment.
Neil Wilson, Head of Region for North Caledonia (North East and Shetland) at SSEN, said:
"We're delighted to partner with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to promote the Priority Services Register as part of their home fire safety visits. Partnerships like these are vitally important to help us identify our customers who need a little extra help in our region and ensure they are receiving valuable support from trained advisors, particularly during power cuts this winter."
"This is just the start of an ongoing relationship to make sure communities in Moray and Aberdeenshire are safe, regardless of the emergency situation they face. As we enter the winter months, I'd urge anyone who feels they need extra help to join the PSR and speak to our teams who will be more than happy to offer advice and guidance to those who need it."
Graeme Laird, Station Manager for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in Aberdeenshire and Moray, added:
"We are delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks in supporting our home fire safety visits and the Priority Services Register."
"These home fire safety visits are a cornerstone of our prevention efforts and have contributed to a marked decrease in the number of incidents including those involving fatalities and casualties over the last decade."
"Our firefighters will visit your home to identify any hazards. They will also assist in developing an escape plan as well as supply and install smoke detectors for free."
"We are here to help everyone stay safe within the home but we are particularly keen to support the most vulnerable and elderly within our communities. That is why we appeal to everyone to check if their elderly relatives, friends or neighbours are in need of this vital support, and to contact us directly."
Free home fire safety visits from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service only take around 20 minutes, those 20 minutes might just save your life. A visit can be organised at a time that suits you, day or night. The Service would also like community members to think about anyone they know who could be at risk from fire.
To book a free home fire safety visit for you, or for someone you know, call 0800 0731 999, text FIRE to 80800 or visit firescotland.gov.uk.
SSEN's customers can join the PSR if they are dependent on electricity for home medical care, have a chronic illness or short term medical needs, are disabled, have special communication needs, are over the age of 60, have a child under the age of five at home or for any other reason feel they may need extra support during a power cut.
For more information on SSEN's Priority Services Register, please visit ssen.co.uk/Priority Services, or to register call 0800 294 3259 or 0800 316 5457 to register using a text phone.