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Fire

Fire is by far the biggest risk for a disaster in your home. Most house fires start by accident and are preventable.

Here are a few useful tips to keep you and your family safe at home.

Prevention:

• Do not leave cooking unattended.
• Do not smoke in bed. Carelessness with smoking materials leads to fire.
• Never leave candles unattended.
• Never leave high-powered electrical apparatus on at night i.e. TVs, washing machines etc.
• Alcohol is fuel for a fire. Drinking is a major contributory factor towards a domestic fire when cooking or smoking.

Detection:

• Have smoke alarms! The best place to put a smoke alarm is on the ceiling, as near to the centre of the room as possible. The smoke alarm should be placed at least 30 centimetres away from any light or wall. Don’t fit smoke alarms in the kitchen or bathroom where they can be accidentally triggered. Make sure you have at least one smoke alarm per level. The hallway and the landing are ideal locations. Test your alarm once a week. Change the battery once a year (unless it is a 10-year alarm). Replace your smoke alarm every 10 years.

Escape:

• Plan your escape route now.
• Try to identify two routes of escape out of every room. Take a few minutes to practice escaping with your family.
• Keep these escape routes clear of obstructions.
• Know where door and window keys are kept. Check that everyone knows how to operate the locks.
• Close all doors at night especially kitchen and lounge doors. This will protect the escape route should fire occur.

If your escape way is blocked:

• Get everyone into one room.
• Close the door and put bedding or towels along the bottom to seal the gap.
• Open the window for fresh air.
• Phone for the Fire and Rescue Service on 999 or shout for help and get someone else to make the call.
• If you are on the ground floor or first floor, you may be able to escape through the window.
• Throw some bedding, clothing or soft furnishings out.
• Don’t jump; lower yourself down at arm’s length and drop into the soft pile.
• Think about the best order to go down if you have children or older people with you.
• If you have to break a window, cover the jagged edges with any available soft materials.

In the event of a fire:

• GET OUT – Get everyone together and get out. If there is a lot of smoke, crawl along the floor where the air is clearer.
• STAY OUT – Don’t go back in your house, not even to collect valuables or pets.
• CALL OUT – Dial 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service
  • Call from a mobile phone, a neighbour’s phone or a call box.
  • Raise the alarm and shout to wake everyone up; don’t look for the fire. Check doors with the back of your hand before opening, if it feels warm don’t open it.
• Stop-Drop-Roll: If your clothes catch fire, running will only fuel the flames and allow the blaze to spread over your body, producing worse burns. When flames are on your clothes, stop where you are, drop to the ground or floor, cover your face with your hands and roll back and forth until the flames are extinguished.

More information is available on the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service website, linked to on the right.

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