Video: Good Morning projects join forces with Cookstown Fire Service

Tim Richmond Cookstown Fire Station Commander surrounded by Good Morning project members from Cookstown, Magherafelt and Dungannon during Tuesday afternoon's official launch of the Good Morning Mid Ulster & Good Morning Neighbour Agreement to Protect Those Most at Risk from Fire as part of Fire Safety Week 2014.INMM4114-405

In line with over 20 fire service branches across Northern Ireland, the agreement between the organisations is an attempt to to target those aged 65 and over, in the local area to help keep them fire safe and ‘STOP fire’.

Through referrals received from Good Morning Mid Ulster and Good Morning Neighbour Services, this agreement will enable local Firefighters to identify and engage directly with those who are most at risk from fire.

Firefighters will provide a Free Home Fire Safety Check for their clients and staff and volunteers within the organisation will become fire safe ambassadors and will regularly raise awareness of fire safety in the home for their clients.

Speaking about the Good Morning Projects and what they do in the local area, Marie Devlin, Good Morning Project Manager, explains: “We have three elements to the project, the good morning telephone call, the home maintenance service and a community development coordinator.

“The calls are delivered from the Magherafelt base covering the areas of Magherafelt, Cookstown and Dungannon. We provide the calls to over 450 older and vulnerable people throughout the district.”

Ms Devlin continued: “The Good Morning Project provides a daily telephone call to older and vulnerable people and in that we would remind older people to be cautious and watch for smoke alarms and now carbon monoxide detectors as well.

“If that alert is raised that the older person does not have either of those fitted in their home we will organise for our home maintenance worker to fit them.”

Seamus Donnelly, Manager of Community and Voluntary Services, based in Dungannon Enterprise Centre explains the work they do on the project, “We have seven large projects, one of which is Good Morning Neighbour, that covers all of Armagh and Dungannon district council areas.

“We would also call people in the morning, but we also have a large number of volunteers who would go out to their homes and visit them once a week for about two hours, helping to reduce isolation and loneliness and also fear of crime.”

Seamus added that the project are always seeking new volunteers so if you are interested contact Seamus via the website www.youcanhelp.org