Firefighters in Tenby are actively promoting a campaign to say no to fire deaths this Christmas. And the town's Station Officer, Dicky Lewis, is warning members of the public that they are putting their lives at risk by not having smoke alarms fitted in their properties. "With Christmas approaching, people start decorating their homes with fairy lights and lighting candles, which can pose serious hazards, and in some cases where there has been no fire safety equipment installed even fatal," Station Officer Lewis told the Observer. "A smoke alarm can save vital minutes in a fire, giving people the chance to escape or to call the fire brigade for help," he continued. "We have attended three fires at properties lately that have not had smoke alarms fitted. "These are vital in any home and we would particularly like to make pensioners and vulnerable people aware that smoke alarms can be fitted free in their homes by the fire brigade," he explained. As well as fitting the alarms, the firefighters, who are keen to promote the Fire Brigade Union's initiative to keep the community safe, will carry out home safety checks. "Fire deaths are up between 50 and 80 per cent this year and many have been caused purely because either there was no smoke alarm fitted or because the batteries had been removed from the alarm and used for something else." Anyone who would like to receive a fire alarm is asked to contact Tenby Fire Station on 842222 on a Tuesday evening between 7 and 9 pm.