Fire Safety

How safe is your home?

Each year the Wiltshire fire brigade attends around 450 domestic fires in the county. Almost all fires in the home can be avoided. Check the main risk areas here and see if you can do anything to reduce the risk of fire in your home.  Further information is available from:

• www.firekills.gov.uk which includes information on the Fire Code and Fire Safety Essentials
• Wiltshire Fire Brigade website

Do you have a smoke alarm on every level of your home?

A smoke alarm is your early warning system, which will detect and alert you to a fire. If there is a fire in your home, a smoke alarm will give you valuable time to escape. The noise of your smoke alarm should alert you even when you are asleep. The majority of deaths in house fires happen between 10pm and 8am. To find out more about smoke alarms, click here  (Link to external website - page opens in a new window.)

Does anyone in the home suffer from a hearing impairment?

For people who would not be able to hear a conventional smoke alarm there are special devices available. These devices make use of a vibrating pad (may go under a pillow) or flashing light (by a chair or bed side) instead of the auditory signal - the vibrating pad alarms are particularly useful for deaf-blind people. For more information about these types of alarms, click here  (Link to external website - page opens in a new window.)

Do you have an 'open' fire in any of the rooms?

Open fires should always have a fireguard around them (especially if you have young children in the home). Never leave newspapers, fuels (logs, coal etc.) and clothing around the fireplace or on the fireguard. Chimneys should be regularly swept and well maintained.

Do you have any portable heaters?

Portable heaters should NEVER be used for drying wet clothes. Do not sit closer than 1 metre to a heater. Do not move a heater closer than 1 metre from any other furniture.

Are fires left to burn overnight?

Under NO circumstances should a fire be left unattended, to burn overnight. Ensure all fires are FULLY extinguished and portable heaters switched off before going to bed.

Do you have a bedtime fire safety routine?

Many fires in the home start at night. Ensure you do the following before going to bed:

• Switch off and unplug all electrical appliances unless they are specifically designed to stay on
• Ensure all smoking materials are extinguished and NEVER smoke in bed
• Ensure contents of ashtrays are cold before emptying into a bin
• Fully extinguish any open fires and switch off any portable heaters
• Close doors to all rooms (this helps prevent fire from spreading)
• ENSURE YOU HAVE A WORKING SMOKE ALARM

Do you use candles or incense burners in the home?

Fires happen when candles and incense burners are in use because:

• They are left unattended
• We fall asleep without putting them out
• We don't use the right kind of holders
• We put them too close to clothing and furnishings

To find out more information about candle safety, click here. (Link to external website - page opens in a new window.)

Are people allowed to smoke in your house?

Always use an ashtray when smoking and NEVER flick ash directly into a bin. Do not leave burning cigarettes and pipes unattended. Extinguish smoking materials completely. Remember: PUT IT OUT, RIGHT OUT.
To find out more information about the brigade campaign, warning people about the dangers of smoking materials, click here. (Link to external website - page opens in a new window.)

Do you have a Fire Action Plan?

Would you or you family know what to do if your home was on fire? Ensure you have a designated escape route within the home and that this route is kept clear of obstacles. To find out more about fire action plans, click here  (Link to external website - page opens in a new window.)

Do you use a open chip pan or open fat fire?

Follow these guidelines to help prevent a fat fire in the home:

• Never fill a pan more than a third full of fat
• Never leave the pan unattended if the hob is on
• Never put food in a chip pan if the oil begins to smoke
• Turn off the heat and leave the oil to cool, otherwise it can catch fire
• Never put water on a chip pan fire

For more information on kitchen safety, click here. (Link to external website - page opens in a new window.)