Fire Safety

As part of Fire Safety Day, your child has been learning about fire safety and smoke alarms. Working smoke alarms save lives. Having smoke alarms in your home is very important. Smoke alarms let you know there is a fire. Working smoke alarms also give you time to get outside and stay outside if there is a fire. Follow the advice below to stay safe.

Prevent fires

• Keep matches and lighters out of sight and reach of young children.

• Stub your cigarette out properly and avoid smoking if you’re really tired (or in bed) - you may fall asleep with it in your hand.

• Change your chip pan to an electric one if you can. If not, never fill the pan more than half full.

• Store your hair straighteners safely. A growing number of house fires are caused by hair straighteners left switched on

• Take care not to overload electrical sockets. For example, if you use the combination of a toaster and a kettle on an extension lead running from one socket, it’s dangerously overloaded.

Plan your escape

• Work out the route to get out of the house, make sure family members know and practice it together.

• Keep the stairs and the escape route clear of clutter at night.

• Keep keys to any doors on your escape route in one place so you know where they are in an emergency.

Check your smoke alarms

• You need a working smoke alarm both upstairs and downstairs, to warn you quickly if a fire starts.

• Test your alarms every week.

• If your alarm keeps going off while you’re cooking, don’t remove the battery – the chances are you’ll forget to put it back.  Instead move it further away from the kitchen or fit one that has a silencer button.

• Encourage children to get involved in testing the smoke alarms.

Find out more Visit the safety advice section of the Child Accident Prevention Trust website: https://www.capt.org.uk/fire-safety