RARE MONKEY BORN AT CHESTER ZOO
FIREFIGHTERS URGE SPRING CLEAN TO ELIMINATE HAZARDS OF HOARDING
THE VETERANS LIFELINE FIREWALK
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NEWS
RARE MONKEY BORN AT CHESTER ZOO
FIREFIGHTERS URGE SPRING CLEAN TO ELIMINATE HAZARDS OF HOARDING
As we enter Spring , Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is urging householders to take the opportunity to spring clean to help make their homes hazard free .
High levels of clutter make it much easier for a fire to start and can increase the chances of a fire spreading throughout the home . Clutter can also make it very difficult to escape a fire , especially if items are piled high and blocking exit routes .
The tiny female youngster , which keepers have named Amidala , is a welcome boost to the European endangered species breeding programme that is working to protect the charismatic monkeys ; listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ).
The illegal wildlife trade and large scale habitat loss - due to illegal logging on its native island of Sulawesi in Indonesia - has pushed the Sulawesi macaque to the edge of extinction , with fewer than 5,000 now estimated to remain . They are also targets for poachers and are over-hunted for food as , in their homeland , they are considered a local delicacy and are served up on special occasions such as weddings . The species ’ wild number is believed to have plummeted by around 80 % in the last 30 years .
The new arrival at the zoo increases the number of Sulawesi crested macaques living in its Islands habitat to 18 - including four offspring for new dad Mamassa who , according to staff , has “ become an instant hit with the females ” since his arrival in late 2015 .
Conservationists from Chester are also working with the local communities in Sulawesi to help protect forests and the diverse animal species living in them .
As well as potentially trapping people in their homes in the event of fire , hoarded combustible materials such as newspapers , magazines , wood , books and flammable liquids would make it easy for a fire to spread quickly .
Since 2012 , Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service has been called to 26 fires across Merseyside where hoarding hindered rescue attempts by fire crews . In 2016 , a fire caused by a fan heater saw two elderly people tragically lose their lives after fire spread quickly through their Liverpool home due to extensive hoarding of items .
Ian Mullen , Incident Investigator for Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service , said : “ Hoarders are at very high risk of fires in the home . Not only can hoarding make it difficult , or impossible , to escape in the event of a fire but it also makes it more difficult for firefighters to access a property and extinguish the fire inside .
“ Hoarding is a problem that can develop in households over years and by the time people recognise there is a problem they may feel they are out of their depth or unable to make their homes safer .”
If anyone is concerned they may be at higher risk of fire due to hoarding , or know of someone who is , they should contact Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service on 0800 731 5958 for free home fire safety advice .
THE VETERANS LIFELINE FIREWALK
The Veterans Lifeline Firewalk is taking place on Friday the 31st March 2017 , 6pm at the OC Sport & Leisure Club , Bromborough .
Valerie Kruse , a volunteer fundraiser for charities has organised the fundraising evening in aid of the fully registered charity ‘ Veterans Lifeline ’ a Merseyside based charity that supports veterans and their families nationwide .
The evening will be a very enjoyable one , with food being served , music , a raffle and a charity auction , a motivational speaker and of course the highlight of the evening ‘ The Firewalk ’. To find out more about the event , contact the charity at admin @ veteranslifeline . co . uk .
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