There were 593 deaths as a result of house fires in 2003, a year-on-year rise of 5.5% and the first upward swing in fatalities in recent years, according to government figures released last week.
The activity will include the launch of the first government-backed national fire safety education scheme. The COI has hired Educational Project Resources (EPR) to develop materials to help teachers promote fire safety to three- to 16-year-olds.
Caroline Mackrill, managing director of EPR, said it had to address the fact that children had become 'desensitised' toward the dangers of domestic fires, as education tends to focus on the risks of drugs and crime.
Various elements of the work will target key groups including parents with children, the elderly and ethnic minority groups.
To promote the campaign to the wider public, Euro RSCG London is developing TV, print and outdoor ads, with media handled by Carat.
A range of commercial partners has been signed up to help promote the safety message. These include Woolworths, Homebase and Help the Aged, which will provide a range of products and in-store safety messages.
The first tranche of activity will kick off at Easter.
with bursts around Child Safety Week in June, in September when school term starts and the run up to Christmas, a peak period for house fires.
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