A plan to invest an extra £1 million in Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service will see four more fire engines purchased and an extra 22 fire fighters recruited, after the Authority's budget was passed with Conservative support. Wallasey Fire Station will also be staying open.
The latest fires reported in Merseyside can be found here while, nationally, the number of fires is down from 386,000 twenty years ago to 182,873 now.
Councillor Lesley Rennie said: "The budget we have passed at the Fire Authority is good news for the people of Wallasey and across Merseyside - night cover will be retained at our local station while the number of appliances and fire fighters will also increase."
"To help keep homes safe, I would also urge resident to contact the Fire Authority about home visits to check on fire risks."
The budget follows the relaunch earlier in February of the 'Fire Kills' campaign, warning the public to remain vigilant and highlighting that candles, cigarettes, portable heaters and overloaded extension leads can lead to fires in any room of a home.
While the majority (90%) of homes now have at least 1 working smoke alarm, 23% of people say they never test them.
The then-Minister for Crime, Policing and the Fire Service Kit Malthouse said: "It’s easy to make mistakes. Being alert to hazards after a long day at work, or with distractions at home is never easy.
"This is why this campaign is so important – it reminds us of how we can prevent the unthinkable. At the very least, if you do nothing else, please buy smoke alarms for your home so you and yours can sleep easy."
The campaign, developed with the help of the National Fire Chiefs Council also urges the public to test their smoke alarms at least once a month.
