Fire safety Keeping your home safe from fire

Follow these tips to keep your home safe from fire.

Fire safety Make sure your smoke detectors work Make sure that you have working smoke detectors in your property and that you test them weekly. If you think that any of your smoke detectors aren’t working, tell us straight away.

Did you know? Not having a working smoke alarm doubles your risk of death in a fire in the home.

Never cover or remove a smoke detector. Change the battery in the detector once a year, unless it is connected to the mains electricity – in which case we will maintain the back-up battery every 10 years. Kitchen safety Be careful when cooking with hot oil. Think about buying a deep fat fryer which is controlled by a thermostat. If you are cooking using the hob or grill, never leave the kitchen. Hot fats and oils, as well as food, can easily overheat and catch fire. If you are using the oven make sure you use a timer. Many kitchen fires start while cooking is unattended. If you come across a fire in the kitchen don’t try to tackle it. Turn off the heat if you can safely, close the door on the kitchen, leave the property and call 999. Don’t leave children alone in the kitchen when the hob or oven is on. Did you know? More than half of all fires in the home are caused by cooking accidents.

Be electrically aware Faults with electric appliances and installations are a common source of a fire. Don’t keep replacing blown fuses: get the appliance checked out. Make sure all electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark when you buy them. Report signs of scorching or discolouration on electrical sockets to us immediately. Don’t overload sockets with appliances – try to keep one plug to each socket. If you need to make alterations to electrical Did you know? wiring, you will need Faulty electrical our permission first. appliances, wiring Any works must and overloaded be carried out by a sockets cause around qualified electrician. 7,000 fires in the Check fire blankets home every year regularly for wear in the UK. and tear. Unplug your electric blanket before you get into bed, unless it has a thermostat control for safe allnight use. Secure portable heaters up against walls to stop them falling over. Use candles carefully Never leave candles lit in rooms that no-one is in or in rooms where children are on their own. Make sure candles are in secure holders and on a surface that does not burn. Always keep candles away from curtains or anything else that could catch fire. Tea lights should not be placed directly on

tables, units or shelves as the metal holder can get very hot. Make sure you place on a saucer or candle holder. Cigarettes Stub cigarettes out properly and dispose of them carefully. Never smoke in bed. Use a proper ashtray – never a wastepaper basket. Make sure your ashtray can’t tip over and is made of a material that won’t burn. Take extra care if you smoke when you’re tired, taking prescription drugs, or if you’ve been drinking. You might fall asleep and set your bed or sofa on fire. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children. Consider buying child-resistant lighters and match boxes. Make an escape plan Take notice of any fire evacuation signs in your building. These will show you what to do in a fire. Plan your escape. If there was a fire in your home would everyone know how to get out safely? Look at your options and make a plan so that everyone in your home knows how to escape in a fire. The best route is usually the normal way in and out of your home. If your normal exit was blocked by a fire, how would you exit the property? Think of a second exit route that is practical for everyone in your home. Keep the exits from your home clear so that

people can escape in a fire. If you live in a building with shared areas (like a block of flats), please read our separate leaflet about fire safety in communal areas. Make sure the keys to windows and doors are easy to find. In a fire, keep calm and act quickly. Close off the room and make sure everyone leaves the property safely. Call 999 and give an exact address. If you need help planning your escape route or think you may have problems getting out in a fire please call your Neighbourhood Manager. They can visit you to talk about this and help you write a personal evacuation plan. Have a bedtime routine Get into the habit of closing doors at night. If you want to keep a child’s bedroom door open, make sure you close the doors to the lounge and kitchen. If a fire occurred at night this would stop it spreading quickly through the house. Do not leave the TV or other electrical appliances on standby. Think about your furnishings Check your furniture meets British Standards and has the kite mark on the furniture label. This means it contains fire-retardant filling and won’t give off poisonous smoke in a fire. Make sure furnishings are away from heat sources such as fires, heaters and candles. If you smoke at home, don’t rest your ashtray on a sofa or chair – use a deep, heavy ashtray, made from a non-flammable material.

If there is any immediate danger to life, always call the emergency services on

999

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Curo The Maltings River Place Lower Bristol Road Bath BA2 1EP T 01225 366000 E [email protected] www.curo-group.co.uk facebook.com/curogroup twitter.com/curo_group If you would like this leaflet in large print, on audio tape or CD, or if English is not your first language and you need a translation, we can arrange this for you.