Tealight candles

As many of you will be aware I have been taking a keen interest in tealights for many many years. Since my initial report in 1999 and subsequent studies I have endeavoured to monitor and drive the subject through publicity and shear doggedness. I believe I am at last in a position to be able to say that the work has been a success.
There are fewer incidents and deaths as a direct result of tealights burning abnormally and the recalls that have arisen are often as a result of the greater awareness of the tealight issue. There are also electric tealights now available!

The basic product, however, is the same and the DTI failed to initiate any effective safety strategy via retailers so how was the campaign a success?
CONTROLLED, DRIVEN AND TARGETED PUBLICITY:
- Fire services and trading standards accross the UK were well informed and included the issue in their own safety initiatives.
- The media were used to increase public awareness.
- TV makeover programmes and lifestyle magazines were mailed directly when tealights were portrayed dangerously.
- The advertising standards authority were informed and issued conditions for portrayal of tealights.
- Coroners were informed.
- Fire investigators were informed.

I am now in a position, I hope, to let the subject go. It will often be impossible to improve fire safety by design or regulation. When that is the case then shear dogged determination is the only option. I always carry the doctrine in my head "If I do nothing with the knowledge I have and somebody dies. What would any Coroner ask of me?".

IFE Forum and FI Blog

I have just had a quick look at the IFE forum and it is looking very sad indeed. Few entries at all this year and hardly any post seems to get any reply. Our own SIG has also been quiet. It's not a problem. We are all volunteers and have other matters to attend to but I would like to invite all to consider what pro-active measures we could take to reach a wider audience within IFE.

I would like to start with a monthly series of debate and advice on this blog site. The chosen subject will be posted onto the IFE forum and participants invited to this blog to enter the debate. Perhaps salient points can be summarised in our Newsletter. Please offer any subject or topic that you would like to see some discussion of and I will post it (please include a paragraph or information that will act as a springboard for the debate). If there is sufficient interest and activity I will publish the feature more widely.
My suggestions:
FI publications
Practical FI photography
Hand tools
On-site testing
Inter-agency working - Practicalities