A DELUGE of phone calls about interlinked smoke alarms has left fire station staff in Inverclyde struggling to do their job, the area’s local senior officer claims.

Fresh legislation came in at the start of the month requiring all Scottish homes to have smoke alarms that communicate with each other.

Homeowners must also have one smoke alarm in every hallway and landing, a heat alarm in every kitchen and a smoke alarm in the most-used room – usually the living room.

The change has caused many householders to panic about how they will afford to get the alarms in place and whether they will be punished if their home does not meet the new standard.

Area commander David McCarrey, local senior officer for Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and East Renfrewshire, has said the flurry of calls from worried homeowners is pulling station personnel away from their vital duties and training.

At a meeting of Inverclyde Council’s police and fire scrutiny committee, he urged people to avoid calling fire stations where possible and instead use national helplines if they have concerns.

Mr McCarrey said: “We are working closely with Renfrewshire Council – and I’m keen to mirror this across Inverclyde and East Renfrewshire – to make sure people are aware of what the new law looks like for them and to give them reassurance no one is getting prosecuted.

“We’re making sure where appropriate we can fit these systems if we have them and also, on the occasions where someone does not meet the criteria, we will still provide guidance.

“The one request I would make is that, hopefully, the public can use the national resource rather than the local fire stations.

“The demand with calls has been unprecedented. Station personnel are struggling to maintain their operational readiness and get any meaningful time to train.

“We are more than happy to provide advice but I would appeal to the public to use that national resource and that would allow staff a bit of breathing space to get their training done.”

The new law has come in on the back of the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017 and brings all homes in line with the standard for the private rented sector.

If you have a carbon-fuelled appliance – like a boiler, fire, heater or flue – you must also have a carbon monoxide detector in that room, but this does not need to be linked to the fire alarms.

Scottish Fire and Rescue can fit interlinked alarms in owner-occupied homes if the household is assessed as 'high-risk' through a home fire safety visit and if it does not meet that criteria, staff will still provide advice on the new law.

Mr McCarrey added: “My job is to make sure people are safe, regardless of supply and demand. If someone contacts us, I will make sure they get detectors fitted.”

Elderly and disabled people may also be eligible for help with installation through Care and Repair Scotland, which has received £500,000 in funding from the Scottish Government.

To get financial support, you must be in council tax bands A to C, be in receipt of pension credit or have a disability and be in a support group for Employment and Support Allowance.

Care and Repair can be contacted by calling 0141 221 9879.

To organise a home fire safety visit call 0800 0731 999.

Anyone who has questions about the change in legislation and what is required should email newfirealarmstandard@gov.scot