The topic of home fire safety has long been in the public domain, with Government-backed safety campaigns such as 'Fire Kills' and a variety of community-lead fire safety campaigns.
Official statistics from Government website GOV.uk, in the latest report entitled Fire Statistics: Great Britain April 2013 to March 2014 stated that fire and rescue authorities attended 505,600 fires or false alarms in total, up 2% from 2012-2013. However, when analysing dwelling fires in particular, there were 39,600 recorded, which was down 5% on 2012-2013.
The report continues to state that 88% of dwelling fires were accidental, with misuse of equipment/appliances noted as the main cause of fire. The number of fire-related deaths does continue to decline and 2013-2014 saw the lowest recorded deaths for 50 years. This is a trend to behold, and if we all take steps to ensure we have adequate fire safety plans and equipment in our homes, we can play a vital part in continuing the declining rate of fire-related deaths in Great Britain and take proactive steps to keep our homes safe from fire.
Step 1: Smoke Alarms
According to the aforementioned fire statistics report 2013-2014 for Great Britain, almost 40% of dwelling fire deaths happened in buildings without smoke alarms.
Smoke alarms should be fitted to each level of your home, away from kitchens and bathrooms. Be sure to look out for either the British Standard Kitemark or the LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board) symbol.
Once you have a smoke alarm in place, it is vitally important to test your smoke alarm. Always follow the manufacturer's advice, but it is best practice to test your smoke alarm on a weekly basis to ensure the batteries are still working correctly. Batteries should be changed every year - add these to your shopping list in advance to make sure you do not forget or find yourself without any working batteries in your alarm.
If you are unsure of which smoke alarm to purchase or are unsure of how to correctly install a smoke alarm, it is advisable to speak to your local fire and rescue service who will be happy to help or provide advice.
Step 2: Make an escape plan
Should a fire break out in your home, would you know how to escape? Be proactive and make an escape plan for your household and involve all members of the household to ensure everyone knows how to make a safe exit from a fire. It's also important to remember that your initial exit could be blocked by fire, so agree on a secondary exit should that situation arise.
Window keys should be left in a safe place where everyone in the household can find them and don't forget to revisit your escape plan if you move furniture around, as you may conceal the exit of your original escape plan.
Step 3: Night-time checks
Government statistics also showed that 11% of fires happen between 12am-5am and not only that, but these fires caused 20% of all deaths during 2013-2014 in Great Britain. Carry out a visual fire safety check before going to bed:
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Double check all kitchen appliances (excluding fridges and freezers) are turned off, paying special attention to the oven and hobs
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If you are a smoker, follow the golden rule and never smoke in bed. Be extra cautious with lit cigarettes, especially at night time when you are tired
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Make sure any candles you have lit in the evening are snuffed out
Step 4: Fire safety equipment
Specialist equipment is readily available to purchase for use in your home. Fire blankets are commonly used in the kitchen environment and work by starving the fire of Oxygen, thus they are particularly useful for small kitchen fires. Due to their size, fire blankets can often be used to wrap children and adults in to make a safe escape, or to use when rolling should clothes catch fire. Remember to always check that fire blankets display the British Standard Kitemark.
Fire extinguishers for use in the home are also available to purchase from reputable stores. There are several different types of extinguishers available, including: water, foam, dry powder and Carbon Dioxide, all of which are colour coded for ease of identification. Again, make sure any extinguisher contains the British Standard Kitemark and meets all British Standards. If you are unsure it is also best to consult your local fire and rescue service for information and best practice.
For more information on home fire safety, view the Government's Fire Safety in the Home leaflet: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49766/Fire_Safety_in_the_Home_-_Version_2.pdf
