8th September 2010 |
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Fire Safety Hints and Tips
Plan in advance
Smoke alarms
- fit smoke alarms on each level in your home on the ceiling and in hallways and landings
- 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
- Some fire and rescue services install smoke alarms free of charge. Check with your local council or fire and rescue service to see if they run such a scheme.
Plan your escape
- discuss with everyone how you would get out if there were a fire
- when making your plan, take account of everyone in the household, especially children and older or disabled people
- talk through your escape plan and regularly remind people what to do and what not to do if there's a fire
- put a reminder of what to do somewhere where it's easily seen (for example, on the fridge door or the kitchen notice board)
Keep exits clear
- keep the exits from your home clear so that people can escape if there's a fire
- make sure that everyone in your home can easily find the keys for doors and windows
Be careful with fire hazards
- take extra care in the kitchen - accidents while cooking account for over half of fires in homes
- never leave young children alone in the kitchen
- take extra care when cooking with hot oil
- consider buying a deep-fat fryer which is controlled by a thermostat
- never leave lit candles in rooms that nobody is in or in rooms where children are on their own
- make sure candles are in secure holders on a surface that doesn't burn and are away from any materials that could burn
- make sure cigarettes are stubbed out properly and are disposed of carefully, and never smoke in bed
Develop good habits
- get into the habit of closing doors at night
- if you want to keep a child's bedroom door open, close the doors to the lounge and kitchen
- don't overload electrical sockets - remember one plug for one socket
- keep matches and lighters where children can't see or reach them
- take special care when you're tired or when you've been drinking
- don't leave other electrical appliances on standby as this could cause a fire - always switch them off and unplug
This page is taken from the www.direct.gov.uk website and can be found by following this link.
