Home fire safety advice

1. Smoking materials

Never smoke in bed.
Take extra care when smoking if you are drowsy - prescription drugs or drinking can make you less alert.
Use a suitable ashtray.
Make sure the ashtray is heavy, can't tip over easily and is made of a material that won't burn. Avoid a build up of ash, butts   and used matches.
Make sure that cigarette/cigar butts, or what you knock out of a pipe bowl, are not
burning when you have finished with them. Always double-check that they are stubbed out especially before going to bed.
Wet the contents of the ashtray before you dispose of it, which should be into a metal bin outside the house.
Never tap your ash into a waste paper basket - only an ashtray. ^ Never leave a lit cigarette/cigar/pipe on any surface.

• Children

If you have any children visiting your home make sure that all smoking materials are kept out of reach. Don't leave matches or lighters lying around.
Additional facts
Every three days someone dies from a fire caused by a cigarette.Cigarettes can burn at temperatures of over 700C.

2. Hot fat and kitchen safety

• Keep electrical leads and items which can catch fire easily, for example tea towels, oven gloves and loose clothing, away from the cooker and toaster.
• Keep the oven, toaster, hob and grill clean and free from crumbs, fat and grease.
• Keep electrical leads and appliances away from water.
• Keep a fire blanket in the kitchen - it can be used to wrap around someone whose clothes have caught fire.
• Never leave cookinp unattended.

• If you deep fry food, dry it before you put it in the hot oil. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool.
• Never fill chip pans more than one-third full of oil.
• Don't use matches or lighters to light gas cookers. Spark devices are safer.
Additional facts
Nearly two-thirds of all domestic fires happen because of cooking. The kitchen is the single most dangerous place in your home.

3. Candle safety

Put them on a heat resistant surface.
Be especially careful with night lights and tea lights, which get hot enough to melt
plastic. Televisions and bath tubs are not fire-resistant objects. Ideally these lights should be in appropriate holders.
Put them in a proper holder.
Candles need to be held firmly upright by the holder so they won't fall over. The holder needs to be stable too, so it won't fall over either.
Don't leave them burning.
Put out candles before you leave a room. Never go to sleep with a candle still burning. And never leave a burning candle or oil burner in a child's bedroom.
Double-check they're out.
Candles that have been put out can go on smouldering and start a fire. Make sure
they're completely out. Use a snuffer or a spoon to put them out. It's safer than blowing them, which can send sparks and hot wax flying.
Position candles away from curtains/fabrics and keep them out of draughts.
Additional facts
Candles are a growing cause of fire. They mark special occasions and create a special atmosphere but they also bring fire into the home.
Don't move them when they're burning.
Don't put them under shelves.
Keep clothes and hair away.
Keep children and pets away.
Keep lit candles apart by at least 10cm (4 inches).

4. Portable heating safety

Always position heaters so they are backed up against a wall, facing into the room. If possible, secure them to the wall to stop them falling over. If not possible avoid putting a heater where it can be knocked over.
Don't place heaters near curtains or furnishings and never use them for drying clothes. The air grilles of storage heaters, fan heaters and convection heaters should never be covered.
It's dangerous to sit nearer than one metre (three feet) from a heater. a Do not move the heater when it is on/alight.

5. Fireplace safety - open fire

• Always use a fireguard, but never rest clothes or flammable items on the guard.
• It's dangerous to sit nearer than one metre (three feet) from the open fire.
• Put drying clothes a safe distance from fires - at least one metre (three feet).
• Chimneys should be swept once a year (twice if burning logs).

6. Electrical safety

Plugs and cables

Don't overload sockets - use one plug in each socket.
Don't put cables under carpets or mats.
Check for signs of loose wiring and faulty plugs or sockets, such as scorch marks on flickering lights.
Replace any worn or taped up cables and leads.
Electrical blankets
Don't leave blankets folded. Store them flat or rolled up to protect the internal wiring.
Only leave a blanket switched on all night if it has thermostatic controls for safe all night use. Otherwise, unplug it before you get into bed.
Make sure your blanket is tested at least every three years. Your local council trading standards department may know about free testing days.

Additional facts
Fuses
Appliances that use up to 700 watts, for example a television should have a 3-amp fuse. For appliances like vacuum cleaners which use up to 1000 watts use a 5-amp fuse and for anything that uses 1000+ watts such as a kettle use a 13-amp fuse.
If you have to use an adapter, use a bar adapter which has a fuse and keep the output to no more than a 13-amp fuse.

7. Smoke alarm advice

• A smoke alarm is an early warning device that detects smoke at the earliest stages of fire. This gives you vital extra time to escape.
• Smoke alarms cost as little as £5 and you can get them from supermarkets and in high street stores.
• Looking after smoke alarms.
Every week test the batteries in each alarm by pressing the test button till the alarm sounds.
Every year change the battery (unless it's a 10-year battery).
Twice a year open the case and gently vacuum the inside using a soft-brush attachment to remove dust from the sensors. If it doesn't open, vacuum through the holes.
Every 10 years replace the alarm.

Where to put smoke alarms

asleep - on the ceiling at the top of the stairs leading to the bedrooms.
The best place is on the ceiling, near or at the middle of the room or hall. The alarm should be at least 30 cm (one foot) away from a wall or light.
Additional facts
You're twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you haven't got a smoke alarm. A fire will not wake a light sleeper.

8. Escape advice

Fire can strike when you least expect it, often during the night.
If your smoke alarm goes off while you are asleep, don't investigate. Shout to wake everyone up and get them out as quickly as possible.
Never assume that it is a false alarm.
Check closed doors with the back of the hand. If they are warm do not open because this means there is a fire on the other side.
If you have mobility problems make sure you have a means of communication, like a telephone or panic button, nearby at all times.
If no means of communication is available, this should be raised with the appropriate carer or Social Services.
Smoke and fumes can also kill.
If there is a lot of smoke, get down as near to the floor as possible where the air will be cleaner.
Don't rush, keep calm and get everyone out as quickly as possible. Don't stop to pick up valuables.
If your escape is blocked by fire it may be safer to stay put until the fire brigade arrives. Close the door and use towels or sheets to block any gaps to stop the smoke. Go to a window, call for help and wait to be rescued.

General advice - before bed routine

Half of the deaths in home fires take place between 10pm and Sam. That's why it's important to check your home before you go to bed.
Switch off and unplug appliances - only leave on those appliances that are designed to be left on, like some video recorders and fridges and freezers.
Check the cooker - make sure the grill, hobbs and oven are all turned off.
Don't leave machines, for example washing machines running.
Turn heaters off - and put a guard in front of an open fire.
Check candles - they can go on smouldering and set off a fire. Never leave one burning when you go to sleep.
Put cigarette ends right out - make sure cigarettes and pipes are out, wetting them to be sure. Never smoke in bed where you could accidentally fall asleep or catch fire to bedding.
Check the escape route - it should be clear of obstacles (and make sure the keys are where they're meant to be).
Close doors - closed doors slow down the spread of a fire.
Turn off your electric blanket - unless you're absolutely sure it can be left on safely, for example if it has a thermostat that is designed to be left on.

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