Fire Safety Around the Home

The most important thing to remember if a fire starts in your home is get out, stay out and call 999. You should never try to fight a fire yourself.
Planning ahead:

• It’s important that everyone in your home (including children and the elderly) is involved in putting together the escape plan.
• Everyone should know where the door keys are.
• Keep your escape routes free of clutter. Think how difficult it will be maneuvering in the dark.
• Walk your escape route with the rest of your family or housemates and make sure everyone can open doors easily.
• Always choose a second escape route if possible, just in case the first one is blocked.
• Review your escape route regularly to take into account any changes in your home.

Test your smoke alarm regularly
You’re at least four times more likely to die in a fire in the home if there’s no working smoke alarm. It only takes a moment and gives your family and people you care about a better chance of surviving a fire.

What to do in a fire:
• Keep calm and act quickly. Tell everyone in your home to get out.
• Seconds count, so don’t waste time investigating or rescuing valuables.
• Before opening a door check it first by using the back of your hand (starting at the bottom of the door and working upwards). If it’s hot, don’t open it.
• When moving through your home, close doors behind you to contain the fire.

What to do if your escape route is blocked:
• Call 999 immediately.
• Find a room as far away from the fire as possible and wait until the fire fighters arrive.
• Tell the emergency services where you are in the property.
• if you have no phone to call 999 open the window and shout HELP FIRE.
• Put a cushion, bedding, towel around the bottom of the door to block the smoke.
• Open a window for fresh air.
• If smoke comes in, keep as low as possible as smoke rises.
• Once you have escaped, don’t go back inside your home, even if someone is left inside. Wait for the fire fighters and when they arrive give them as much information as possible.

For more information on how you can look after your loved ones and to prevent fires in your home log on to:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/475169/Fire-Make-your-home-safe-Easy-read.pdf