Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service launches new fire safety toolkit for carers

The DFRS carers toolkit launch event (Credit: DFRS)

Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service (DFRS) has launched a fire safety toolkit for unpaid carers, following a review of 16 fatal house fires across the county.

The toolkit has been developed to help carers better understand fire risks in the homes of those they care for, prevent incidents and respond effectively in an emergency.

A fatal fire review in Derbyshire found that between March 2022 and December 2024, DFRS attended 25 incidents involving people with care and support needs, resulting in 28 casualties, 16 of which were fatal.

The findings highlight the increased fire risk faced by people with care and support needs. The new Fire Safety in the Home for Carers toolkit has been developed with the support of a group of Derbyshire carers and leading smoke alarm provider, Aico.

It includes a room-by-room visual guide with members of DFRS’s Prevention Team demonstrating common fire risks and how to reduce them. The video is also available in British Sign Language (BSL) to support Derbyshire’s Deaf community.

DFRS is encouraging carers, families and partner organisations to access the toolkit and take simple steps that could help save lives.

Darren Pick, Group Manager at Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service said: “Preventing fatal and serious house fires is a key priority for the Service, and we recognise that people with care and support needs are at increased risk.

This toolkit helps carers think proactively about fire safety in the home—supporting them to plan escape routes, use appropriate detection and alarm systems, and access wider support available to them as unpaid carers.

Our Prevention team are working closely with carers and the wider care sector to support this, and we’re grateful to Aico for their investment and ongoing support in developing the toolkit.”

Adam Burch, Relationship Manager at Aico said: “It’s great to be involved with such an important project that will have a direct and long-standing impact.

“We focus our attention on fire detection but appreciate that prevention is key. The toolkit highlights the most common causes of fires and offers instructions on the best practice of preventing them in the first instance.

“We were delighted to be asked by Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service to be able to be involved and were happy to assist in any way that we could.”

The Fire Safety in the Home for Carers toolkit has been launched during Carers Week (8–14 June), an annual UK-wide campaign which highlights the vital contributions of unpaid carers, aiming to raise awareness, improve support, and reduce isolation for family or friends.

DFRS hosted an interactive media event on Monday 8 June at the Derbyshire Police and Fire Joint Training Centre to showcase the resources to carers and care providers, alongside representatives from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and partner organisations.

The toolkit has also been welcomed by partners, including Michael Rose, Lead Commissioner for Learning Disabilities, Autism, Mental Health, Dementia and Carers at Derby City Council, who described it as “an invaluable resource” to help carers reduce fire risk and keep vulnerable people safe.

Emma Handley, Manager at the Derbyshire Carers Association, attended the launch event. She said: “Carers often carry the quiet responsibility of keeping someone else safe, and this resource gives them clear, practical guidance to help manage that responsibility with confidence. By bringing together the expertise of the fire service and carer organisations, we’re giving carers the tools to spot risks early, understand what to do in high-risk situations, and know were to turn for support. It’s a simple but powerful way to help prevent harm and give carers greater peace of mind as they support the people they love.”

Following its launch in Derbyshire, the toolkit will be made available nationally, enabling other fire and rescue services to adapt and use the resources to support carers and vulnerable people across the UK.

Visit the Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service website to view and access the toolkit.