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Peter Cassidy
PhD in Architecture, Built Environment and Planning – Class of 2024
‘Who is at risk from accidental dwelling fire fatalities, what can be done to reduce this risk and how can this be delivered in the community?’
Supervisors
- Dr Nigel McConnell
- Dr Karen Boyce
I could not have got through this without the support of my supervisors, Dr Nigel McConnell and Dr Karen Boyce, my colleagues at Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and Michael Roberts and Connor Breen from the Safer Together Co-production Project. Most of all, my wife Deirdre and daughter Katie supported me throughout my PhD. Deirdre was very encouraging and always a voice of reason. Katie is wise beyond her years and often encouraged me during difficult times.
Although fire fatalities in the UK and Northern Ireland have decreased over the last four decades, older people are overrepresented in fire fatality statistics. This study identified who is at risk from accidental dwelling fire fatalities, what can be done to reduce this risk and how this can be delivered in the community.
The study began with an analysis of fire fatalities in Northern Ireland between April 2009 and March 2019 and ended with a co-production project to develop fire safety intervention strategies to help the support network around older people identify and manage fire risk. Co-production included the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service and was known as the “Safer Together Project”. My supervisors were Dr Nigel McConnell and Dr Karen Boyce.
