Credit: MINT
A new awareness campaign promoting the use of smoke detectors today launched in Luxembourg.
The campaign, entitled "It looks after you: the smoke detector" (Il veille sur vous: le détecteur de fumée), calls for awareness of the importance of smoke detectors in homes.
Every year, deaths are caused by fires in homes. Statistics show that between 1998 and 2015, an average of two people per year died from smoke and flames, mainly due to smoke inhalation intoxication. The most dangerous fires occur at night when victims are asleep and these fumes, containing carbon monoxide, can be lethal.
Following the appeal launched by the National Federation of Firefighters and following the example of neighbouring countries, the Luxembourg government has thus taken the initiative to make the installation of smoke detectors mandatory in housing buildings. In this context, the Governing Cabinet approved the bill on the obligatory installation of smoke detectors for buildings with at least one dwelling, at its meeting of 6 June 2018, in the interest of public safety and the prevention of fire risks.
The awareness campaign is essentially based on 4 pillars: the free provision of a smoke detector for each domestic community, accompanied by an informative and explanatory leaflet; the creation of a website "www.rauchmelder.lu" with detailed information; the creation of an email address "info@rauchmelder.lu" in order to establish a direct contact with the population and allow internet users to collect any additional information; uploading an explanatory video online.
The distribution of smoke detectors to the population will be carried out with the support of several actors and information will be posted to each domestic community, where citizens will be able to receive a smoke detector in exchange for a voucher, either from their commune or from the reception desk of the Guichet.lu (11, rue Notre -Dame, Luxembourg City) or at the Ministry of the Interior (19, rue Beaumont, Luxembourg City).
Given the importance of the subject, the campaign will be carried out on a long-term basis. It is done with the help of many partners, namely: the 102 municipalities of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg; fire and rescue centres; the State Information Technology Centre (CTIE); the prevention group of the Administration des services de secours.
