The terrible tragedy that saw a local retired farmer die in a fire at his home this week, is a stark reminder to us all of the importance of being alert to the dangers that exist in our homes. Have we checked our fire alarms recently or, more importantly, do we have proper fire alarms and security installed in our homes? If not, then take heed of the reminder we have received this week and take the appropriate action immediately.

As the excitement increases around the upcoming Voice of Ireland finals, particularly for the local contestants and their families that are involved, and as communities all over The Avondhu readership area get set to undertake their Tidy Towns projects following the launch by sponsors SuperValu during the week, we need to keep prompting our elderly neighbours to be ever safety concious and, where necessary, help them make their homes safer and more secure.

Every accident avoided is a another success story, albeit one that usually goes unnoticed. Let’s keep it that way!