HOMEOWNERS, businesses and schools across Hertfordshire will be able to carry out their own fire safety assessments online thanks to a national Government initiative.

Firefighters throughout England are confident that The Fire Gateway website - www.fire.gov.uk - will help them to reduce the risk of fire in the home and in the workplace.

The new site will mean users can find out whether or not their home is protected against the risk of fire, request a free home fire safety visit and fire safety advice from their local firefighters and ask the fire and rescue service to attend school and community events.

Herts Fire and Rescue Service's Chief Fire Officer Roy Wilsher said: "The Fire Gateway will be a valuable tool for helping fire and rescue services communicate more effectively and be even more accessible to their communities.

"While the emergency response side of the service must never be forgotten, a huge proportion of the work of modern fire and rescue services is about prevention through education, partnership, advice and support.

"The Fire Gateway will help to build on the incredible work already carried out by the services across England.

"It will provide a national online facility, which will help to educate, provide vital safety advice, let the public submit online requests for our services, share information and build partnerships with communities and businesses."

As well as helping the fire service reduce the number of fire deaths and injuries in the home, the Fire Gateway will also help safeguard people in the workplace.

Businesses can complete an online self-assessment to check that they are complying with new fire safety regulations in the workplace.

Speaking at the launch of the website earlier this month, Fire and Rescue Service Minister Angela Smith said that the fire and rescue service has always been recognised for its excellence and professionalism when dealing with emergencies, but it was now increasingly focusing on fire prevention work, to great effect.

Fire Gateway, which is not intended to deal with requests for emergency services, was funded by communities and local government.

It was developed by the Chief Fire Officers' Association and the Local Government Association.