Fire safety

Tips to protect you and your home from fire

Fire safety

Tips to protect you and your home from fire Protect yourself and your family from the threat of fire in your home. Follow these tips on general fire safety and make sure you know what to do to stay safe. Steps to prevent fire in your home

What to do if there is a fire In the event of a fire, make sure you and your family leave the building quickly and find somewhere safe nearby. Close off doors and windows if it is safe to do so.

Never enter a burning building for any reason. This will only put your safety, and the safety of others at risk. If there is a break glass alarm, raise the alarm – shout FIRE! dial the fire and rescue service on 999 or 112 when the operator answers, give the telephone number you are ringing from and ask for the fire service tell the operator the address where the fire is and wait until the fire service has repeated the correct address.

Plan your escape routes Make sure that you and your family have a clear, planned fire escape route. This will help make it easy to leave the building and reduce the chance of injury – no matter where the fire is in your home. Make sure keys to doors and windows are easy to find and keep exits clear.

Simple bedtime checks close all doors at night. If you need to keep a child’s door open, close the doors to the lounge and kitchen do not leave TVs or other electrical appliances on standby check that cookers and other appliances are turned off stubb out cigarettes and extinguish burning flames.

Test your smoke alarm check it weekly to ensure it is working, and is loud enough to wake you up if there is a fire never cover or remove a smoke detector change the battery in the alarm once a year, unless it is a 10-year alarm or is connected to the mains if you think there is a problem with your smoke alarm contact us immediately. Remember, we need to access your home to do annual smoke alarm and gas safety checks.

Use candles safely never leave burning candles unattended or in rooms where children are on their own make sure candles are in secure holders tea lights can burn surfaces; place on a saucer or candleholder.

Think about your furnishings check your furniture meets British Standards on fire safety and has the kite mark on the label. This means it won’t give off poisonous smoke in a fire use fire-retardant curtain material make sure furnishings are away from heat sources such as fires and candles when smoking at home, don’t rest your ashtray on furniture and use a deep, heavy ashtray made from non-flammable material.

Do you live in a flat? If you live in a flat, here are some more tips and hints on staying safe. find out where your assembly point is check your Fire Instruction Notice which is located in the communal area of the building if the fire is in your property, leave the property, get outside and call 999 or 112 you must leave your flat if smoke or heat affects it if you live in a sheltered housing scheme, check with staff to see if there are any special fire safety guidelines. Some residents may be asked to follow Stay Put advice for instance.

Take care when cooking use a temperature controlled deep fat fryer if possible if you are cooking using the hob or grill, never leave the kitchen if you are using the oven, make sure you use a timer don’t leave children alone in the kitchen don’t tackle a kitchen fire. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so, close the kitchen door, leave the property and call 999 or 112.

Safety and electrical items don’t keep replacing blown fuses; get the appliance checked out by a qualified electrician tell us about signs of scorching on electrical sockets immediately. Do not use them again until they have been checked you must ask us for permission before making changes to your fixed wiring circuit. Any works must be carried out by a qualified electrician.

Contents insurance explained A domestic crisis like a fire can quickly turn into a disaster if you are not insured. We insure the structure of your home but not the contents. You should take out a contents insurance policy to protect your belongings from loss or damage by fire, theft or water. Contents insurance can also cover decorations within your home and broken glass that we do not replace.

Stay safe from fire in communal areas Keep communal stairs and exit routes clear.

Report any objects being stored in the communal 1. areas as these can cause a fire. Gas bottles, motorbikes, mobility scooters, machinery, cardboard boxes and furniture for instance can fuel a fire.

Be fire aware! Always report: holes in ceilings

and walls as fire could spread through these; 2. trip hazards which could slow your exit; and faulty alarms and fire equipment.

3.

Never prop open fire doors in communal areas. These doors are designed to slow down the spread of fire. Some are held open by an electromagnetic lock which will unlock automatically if a fire alarm is activated.

Always respond promptly to fire alarms. 4. Investigate the source of the fire if it is safe to do so, call 999 and leave the building as quickly as possible. Assist others only if you are not at risk.

We can recommend a scheme that offers low cost contents insurance cover. Contact our team today to find out more.

Only attempt to put a fire out with a fire extinguisher if it is safe to do so.

Your local fire service may offer a free home fire safety check 0800 7311 822 (Devon) 0800 3581 999 (Cornwall)

Can we help? Exeter office 72 Paris Street, Exeter EX1 2JZ Penzance office 67 Morrab Road, Penzance TR18 2QJ Contact your local team: in Cornwall 0300 303 8030 [email protected] in Devon 0300 123 8080 [email protected]

Plymouth office 2 Ker Street, Devonport, Plymouth PL1 4GE Totnes office 8 St Peters Quay, Totnes TQ9 5SH Truro office Kenwyn Street, Truro TR1 3BA

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