Fire Safety in your Home

Three essential steps in prevention

1. Look around your home-eliminate the hazards
2. Install smoke alarms to give early warning
3. Prepare an evacuation plan & practice it regularly

Fire Prevention - Look out for

Check your home room by room for fire dangers and correct them. Remember most fires in home start in the living room and bedroom at night when we are sleeping

In the Sitting Room / Living Room

Open Fires

• Always use a proper fitting spark-guard in front of open fires especially when you are going out of going to bed.
• Don’t use an open fire to air clothes as this is a major fire risk
• Clean your chimney regularly (minimum twice a year)
• Don’t store items like papers, magazines, clothing or combustible items near a fire.
• Be Careful how you dispose of hot ashes. Don’t place them in a plastic bin.
• Keep matches and lighters away from children

Portable Heaters

• Be extremely careful how you use portable heaters.
• Position them away from furniture, curtains and flammable items
• Ensure portable heaters are switched off and/or plugged out before you leave the room or go to bed at night.
• Never move portable heaters while they are in use.

Candles

• Never leave lit candles unattended and ensure candles are in proper holders.
• Position candles away from draughts
• Ensure candles are not near items that may catch fire such as curtains.
• Avoid moving a lit candle.
• Ensure all candles are properly extinguished before you leave the room or go to bed.
• Be extremely careful with candles - never leave them unattended

In the Kitchen

• Provide a working fire extinguisher and fire blanket in your kitchen and learn how to use them
• Keep the cooker clean- grease can cause fires
• Clean and replace filters in extractor fans on a regular basis
• Don’t have anything combustible near the cooker
• Avoid the use of chip pans – If you do use them never leave them unattended, never fill the pan more than on third full of oil and never move a hot chip pan.

In the Bedroom

• Never smoke in the bedroom
• Have a torch or flash lamp near your bed for light in an emergency
• Never leave your mobile phone charger plugged in a night time or when leaving the house.
• Electric blankets - check regularly for wear or damage
• Have your blanket checked or replaced if:
  • The fabric or flex is worn or frayed
  • There are scorch marks anywhere
  • The tie-tapes are damaged or missing
  • Any connections are loose
  • You are in any doubt
  • The plug or mains lead is damaged, make sure this repaired before you use it. Remember old blankets are far more likely to have these faults

Always turn off and unplug your electric blanket before going to sleep

Last thing at night

• Ensure spark guards are in front of open fires.
• Switch off and unplug all electrical items. Do not leave the television, radio or computer on standby. Plug out phone chargers.
• If your exit requires a key for opening, ensure the key is in the lock before going to bed.
• Ensure all escape routes are clear
• Close all doors (especially from the kitchen and living room)

Smokers

• Don’t smoke when your feeling tired, especially when you are in bed or relaxing in a chair.
• Always use an ashtray
• Extinguish cigarettes properly and empty the ashtrays before going to bed. Ensure the ashtray contents are fully extinguished before disposing of them.

Electrical Items

• Use electrical items carefully and store them properly when then are not in use.
• Don’t overload sockets or use of double adapters
• If electrical cables or plugs are damaged, worn or frayed, contact an electrian.

Storage

• Rubbish, newspaper etc should not be allowed to build up and should be stored appropriately.
• Flammable materials such as paints, solvents, adhesives (glues) and chemicals should not be stored in the home.

Smoke Alarms

• These are very important for early warning – smoke will not wake you up in fact it will make you sleep more deeply.
• Smoke alarms buy you time allowing you and your family to get safely out of the house.
• At least two smoke alarms should suit a standard two storey dwelling. These should be located on the landing of each floor
• Must be positioned at the highest point and as close to the centre of the ceiling as possible.
• Should be tested weekly – by pressing the test button

Make a fire escape plan and practice it often.

If you do have a fire in your house

• Close all doors behind you as you leave
• If your clothes catch fire - STOP, DROP & ROLL
• Keep low to the ground (air is fresher)
• Decide on a meeting point outside the house
• DO NOT RE-ENTER THE HOUSE FOR ANY REASON
• Telephone the fire brigade from a neighboring house or mobile phone. Call 999 or 112
• Do not re-enter the house until advised to by the fire brigade

But what happens if I’m trapped in the bedroom?

• Take a duvet/blanket off the bed and seal the bottom of the door
• Don’t jump from the room if at first floor level - Signal from the window for HELP
• Stay low to the ground and get beside a window to assist rescue
• Try and breathe normally, place a cloth over your mouth if possible

To Summarise

1. Identify risks around the home and eliminate hazards
2. Fit Smoke Alarms
3. Have a Fire Extinguishers and/or Fire Blankets
4. Plan escape routes & practice fire drills

Remember Most Important

Prevent a fire from happening in your home in the first place