Exeter firm makes a GOODPOINT with Fire Safety Campaign
An Exeter-based promotions firm that launched a product designed to save lives with a national awareness campaign has been experiencing mounting interest in the UK and abroad as the campaign gathers momentum.
The Purple Company, situated in Marsh Barton, is highlighting the need to test domestic smoke alarms SAFELY with a product called the GOODPOINT Smoke Alarm Tester. The campaign is proving so successful that multiple fire services have bought into the product as well as care agencies and private businesses, enabling Purple Company to take on a dedicated Sales Manager.
The GOODPOINT smoke alarm tester was originally an idea conceived by the Community Safety Manager for Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue, Philip Martin, after he realised how difficult it was for some of the people he advised on smoke alarms to actually test them; “Sadly I have seen first-hand the tragic and needless loss of life in homes where smoke alarms were fitted but failed to operate when they were needed the most. It quickly became apparent that whilst the Fire Service was excellent at providing and helping fit smoke alarms, particularly in elderly people’s homes, no provision was being made for a method of testing the smoke alarm safely on a regular basis.”
Philip passed the idea to the Purple Company who then developed it for market. Robin Lyon-Smith is one of the company directors; “The product is simple in design and is perfect for assisting people who have difficulty in reaching and testing smoke detectors. We have been delighted that so many people have chosen to purchase it from our website, but the take-up with other fire services and those in the care sector has been very pleasing indeed.”
Mears, the leading social housing repairs and maintenance provider in the UK, was so impressed with the product they purchased it to increase safety for residents in the Exeter City Council homes they maintain. Philip Tavener from Mears Exeter, said; “All of our tradespeople now carry this simple tool with them when they attend any repair job allowing the testing of a smoke alarm to be done with ease. We are committed to enhancing the safety of our residents and believe this will help the many elderly residents in the community.”
Fire Services to so far buy into the product include Cheshire, East Sussex, Humberside, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Staffordshire and Mid and West Wales.
Hampshire Fire and Rescue service (FRS) have reordered several times. Julie Jacobs, Communications Officer at Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said; “They were originally ordered to complement our Home Safety Project which is focused on vulnerable people in our community. Our community safety officers who work closely with people in the community have found them very useful and they have proved really popular with the public of Hampshire. We have had our logo and smoke alarm safety message printed on them and we also took the opportunity to add our website and social media addresses in order to gain more traffic on those channels. We are planning to order some more in the future to complement our social media competitions and other campaigns.”
Interest is currently also building abroad with enquiries particularly from Norway and the US who are actively seeking to import the smoke alarm tester.
To purchase a tester or find out more information on the campaign, visit www.goodpointcampaign.com
