There are multiple measures you can take to prevent fire and increase your chances of safety in the instance that a fire does break out. Although you can’t 100% prevent a fire in your home, we have provided a list of advice on reducing the chances.
Safety measures to take
According to gov.uk, nearly half of home fires are caused by cooking accidents. Here are some actions you can take for care in the kitchen, from advice on the gov.uk website.
When using electricals, there are risks that some people take that cause around 4,000 fires in the UK a year. Here are some steps you can take to prevent this risk from gov.uk.
- Ensure that the correct fuse is being used to reduce the chance of overheating.
- Keep just one plug to each socket.
- When purchasing electrical items, ensure that they have a British or European safety mark.
For more information, please see below:
Fire equipment for the home
Smoke alarms are crucial to alerting you early in the instance of a fire. As part of your home maintenance, it is good to test your alarms to ensure that they are working. Most alarms can be tested by holding the button for a few seconds. If it sounds, there is enough battery. If it does not make a sound, the batteries need replacing. If you are not sure how to test your smoke alarm, please check your smoke alarm instructions.
Although smoke alarms are a home staple, there are a couple of other items you can buy for your home.
- Fire blankets – these can be used to cover a small fire and put it out. Alternatively, in the instance that there is a fire, you can wrap yourself in this to give yourself a layer of protection.
- Fire extinguisher – if there is a small fire blocking your exit path, you can use a fire extinguisher to clear a path for a safe exit.
Find out other steps you can take - Fire safety in the home (accessible version) - GOV.UK
In the event of a fire
Although no one wants to think about the event of a fire in their home, it is advisable to have an exit route planned. Once you have an exit plan from the various points of your home, ensure that everyone in the property knows the plan.
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