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Home Fire Safety

Every year in the UK there are more than 68,000 fires in people's homes, resulting in approximately 400 deaths and 13,800 injuries.

The majority of these deaths and injuries could have been avoided with careful preplanning and by following recommended guidance available from your Fire and Rescue Service.

Do you have a working smoke alarm?

A smoke alarm is your early warning system, which will detect and alert you to a fire. Whist they can often seem annoyingly sensitive on a day to day basis, going off as soon as we use the toaster or start some cooking, the idea is that this sensitivity will activate the alarm with the smallest amount of smoke should there be a fire in your home. This would hopefully ensure that occupants have adequate time to escape. The noise of your smoke alarm should alert you even when you are asleep.

Fit smoke alarms on each level or storey in your home fitted on the ceiling in the hallway and landing. Keep them free from dust and test them once a week. Consider buying a 10-year alarm, otherwise change the batteries in your alarm every year. When the smoke alarms reach 10 years old, they should be replaced for 10 year smoke alarms which can be fitted free by the Fire and Rescue Service.

If you are alerted to a fire in your home, then…

Home Fire Plan

A practiced fire escape plan is a hugely important procedure for any building so that everyone is able to escape if there is a fire. A fire plan should consider the safest and quickest way out from each part of the building and any difficulties that may be encountered.

Have a fire escape plan in your home, this should include:

• The location of keys for windows and doors
• Your escape route
• Importance of not opening a door if fire is suspected to be behind the door
• Knowing how to phone the emergency services
  

Most fire deaths occur during the night and so a good bedtime routine should include:

• Closing all doors
• Switch off and remove all electric plugs
• Make all fires and heaters safe
• Empty ashtrays outside.

On making your escape, it is important to check for signs of fire and smoke before proceeding through a closed door. Using the back of your hand, check the door first then the handle for signs of heat… if either are warm, do not open the door.

Remember, it is important to stay low below any smoke layer.

Note: Escaping through a window may be possible from a ground floor room, however from a higher level, this should only be considered if your life was in immediate danger.