FIREFIGHTERS are taking to the streets to remove fire risks from homes in a programme to prevent needless damage and loss of life.

Members of Cleveland Fire Brigade will be in Billingham tomorrow, visiting a number of homes to seek out and remove any items they believe to be a hazard, such as old-fashioned chip pans and unsafe multi-plugs.

The Fire Safety Zone scheme has had officers at every home in the Billingham South area, asking residents if they would like home fire safety checks.

Firefighters look for any possible fire hazards in the home, give advice on how to reduce hazards, make sure the home has working smoke alarms and help establish fire escape plans.

Almost 1,200 properties have been checked in the Clarence, Cowpen and Old Billingham areas since the fire safety scheme started a year ago, and more than 1,100 smoke alarms have been fitted.

The brigade has now built up partnerships with local companies such as Tristar Homes and Makro to reduce fire risks through the exchange of a chip pan for a thermostatically controlled deep fat fryer, Kidde Safety for the supply of fire blankets and domestic fire extinguishers, and BG Electrical for fused extension cables.

Tomorrow, crews from Billingham will revisit 67 homes where they previously identified risks and will carry out an equipment exchange to remove them.

The crews are expecting to exchange 21 chip pans and 111 un-fused multi-plugs with safer versions.

Project and white watch manager Steve Johnson said: "The effectiveness of this whole initiative is down to the partnership approach employed.

"The results we have achieved so far are outstanding.

"Preventing fires and educating people is one of our key focuses, and we are always looking for new and more effective ways to communicate those fire safety messages.

"Getting the business community involved helps us in the bid to reduce these risks further."

To arrange a free home fire safety check, contact (01429) 874063.