Adobe
Acrobat Reader or Microsoft Office Word is required to open the documents detailed below. Please contact us if the information you require is not available from this website.
Emergency Calls
999 calls are free. Do not call your local Fire and Rescue Service number as it could take longer to be answered. The more information the Fire and Rescue Service has, the quicker firefighters can get to you and do their job. When making a 999 call observe the following.
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Give the full address of your home.
- Say what is on fire ( for example, a two-storey house or a flat in a high rise block ).
- Explain if anyone is trapped and if so what room they are in.
What next following a house fire
- Insurance.
At the earliest opportunity you should contact your insurers to inform them of the incident and return a completed claims form to them as soon as possible. They may wish to inspect your property before anything is moved so confirm with them first. Cash that has been partially burned can be taken to a bank to be replaced. If you rent or lease the property you should contact the landlord or their agent.
- Protect the Property.
If the fire has left your property in an insecure condition you should close all doors and windows as these are an open invitation to thieves. Broken windows or doors should be boarded up. There are numerous contractors in the Yellow Pages that offer this service though you should check with your insurers first. If you are a council tenant you should contact your local Housing Department who will carry out this service. It is also wise to contact your local Police to ensure they know your property is empty and insecure.
- Temporary Accommodation.
If you are concerned about the suitability of your accommodation following a fire please contact your local Housing and Social Services Departments regarding alternative arrangements.
- The clean Up.
Recovering from a fire may take a long time and many of the things you have to do will be new. If you are not insured your recovery from a fire loss most likely will be dependent upon your own resources.You could also talk with your church or place of worship. Local civic groups such as the Lions or Rotary Clubs may be able to help.
- Utility Supplies.
If your electricity, gas or water supply has been damaged by fire you should contact your supplier to arrange re-connection. Do not attempt to re-connect or turn on the supply yourself.
Community Safety
Carlow Fire and Rescue are actively involved in community safety campaigns both at local and national level. Great emphasis is placed on focusing more attention on education and raising awareness amongst the most vulnerable people within the community in order to reduce the suffering caused by fires and other emergencies. Consequently, the key to our success is a move from re-active to pro-active intervention. The main causes of fires within the Carlow area are smoking, cooking and electrical.