Safety Advice

Free Home Fire Safety Check

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Home Fire Risk Assessments or a Home Fire Safety Check can sound daunting to many people, especially the elderly. However, this page will explain what they entail and how you can go about having one carried out.

A Home Fire Risk Assessment  is where members of your local Fire and Rescue Service will visit your home, at a time convenient  for yourself and carry out an inspection of your home. The Home Fire Risk Assessment visits are carried out by operational crews, they are completely free and you may be eligible for free smoke alarms to be fitted depending on the fire and rescue service. You will not be sold anything.

The visits focus on three key areas:

  • Identify and be aware of the potential fire risks within your home.
  • Know what to do in order to reduce or prevent these risks.
  • Put together an escape plan in case a fire does break out and ensure you have working smoke alarms.

They will visit your home, sit down and talk to you about fire safety issues in your home covering areas such as electrical safety, smoking safety and the use of electric blankets. They will then, with your permission look at the various rooms within your home paying particular attention to areas such as overloaded plug sockets or wiring. You can ask any questions that you want in respect of your home safety. They will also run through an escape plan if you do not already have one.

Your local Fire and Rescue will regularly advertise Home Fire Risk Assessments through the media, but you can book one direct by contacting your local Fire and Rescue Service. Click and Download our list of all Fire and Rescue Services in the United Kingdom with their contact details for arranging your Home Fire Safety Visit.

5 top tips on fire safety

  1. Arrange a Home fire safety visit with the fire and rescue service that covers your area.
  2. Fit a smoke alarm on the ceiling of each level of your property and test it regularly.
  3. Prepare a plan of escape for all the family which is the fastest and safest route out of your property.
  4. If a smoke alarm actuates get everyone out and stay out. Call the fire service – 999 for uk.
  5. If you cannot escape from a fire go into a room, shut the door, block the bottom with clothing and shout ‘fire’ from a window till help comes.

 

Below are Links to Interactive Fire safety Games for Children of all ages!

Click on the link for the fire safety Interactive games of Tanni Fire Safety   https://www.wafersmuseum.org.uk/tanni.htm

Click on the link to the free app called Sparky the fire dog please note this app is free only on the appstore for Android. These are great links for getting children interacting with fire safety through games. All our downloads on our website are free.

 

We recommend to teachers and parents our childrens fire safety colouring handouts.

CHILDREN COLOURING HANDOUTS – Fire Engine  Firefighter 1  Firefighter 2  Fire Dog  Fire Extinguisher  Fire Rescue  To the Rescue  Run from Fire  Fire Escape Plan  Stay Low when Escaping   Keep Away from Electric  Don’t Play with Matches   Fire Safety Game

 

Useful Links

Government Publication Home Fire Safety in the Home https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-in-the-home

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

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What is carbon monoxide?

You can’t see it, taste it or smell it but Carbon Monoxide can kill quickly without warning. According to the HSE statistics around 12 people die every year from CO poisoning caused by gas appliances and flues that have not been properly installed, maintained or that are poorly ventilated. Levels that do not kill can cause serious harm to health if breathed in over a long period. In extreme cases paralysis and brain damage can be caused as a result of prolonged exposure to CO. Increasing public understanding of the risks of CO poisoning and taking sensible precautions could dramatically reduce this risk.

What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can mimic many common ailments and may easily be confused with food poisoning, viral infections, flu or simple tiredness. Symptoms to look out for include:

  • Headaches
  • Breathlessness
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Collapse
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Tiredness
  • Drowsiness
  • Vomiting
  • Pains in the chest
  • Stomach pains
  • Erratic behaviour
  • Visual problems

For more information visit the NHS or telephone NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

If you or your family experience any of the above symptoms and you believe CO may be involved, you must seek urgent medical advice from either your GP or an accident and emergency department. You should ask for a blood or breath test to confirm the presence of CO. Be aware, CO quickly leaves the blood and tests may be inaccurate if taken more than four hours after exposure has ceased.

5 Top Tips on Protection from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

  1. Get a Carbon Monoxide Detector place it near your gas boiler or fire.
  2. Regularly have your gas appliances tested by a qualified gas safe engineer
  3. If alarm actuates Get everyone out and Stay out. Call the fire service – 999 in uk.
  4. Take your Detector when you go travelling and place it in the property you stay
  5. Remember in caravans or using log burners you still need a Carbon Monoxide Detector.

Useful Links

Gas Safe Register https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/
Health and Safety Executive https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/co.htm
Carbon Monoxide Awareness https://covictim.org/
Katie Haines Memorial Trust https://www.katiehaines.com/carbon-monoxide/default.asp
Gas Safe Charity https://www.gassafecharity.org.uk/get-involved/co-awareness-charities.aspx

First Aid Advice

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First Aid is the initial assistance given to a casualty to save life and preserve life. It can be given by anyone to better the chances of the survival of a casualty. There are many organisations that will train and educate on First Aid, Click on the Links we have provided for First Aid Organisations.

5 Top Tips on First Aid

  1. Call an Ambulance if you are in no doubt medical assistance is needed – 999 in uk.
  2. Check if the area around the casualty is safe for you to enter, your safety comes first.
  3. Check if casualty is breathing if not breathing open their airway by tilting the head back.
  4. Feel for a pulse if no pulse use a Defibrillator and give CPR. (Breathes, Chest Compressions)
  5. Do not give casualty anything to eat or drink. Wait for arrival of Medical responders.

Useful Links

St John’s Ambulance https://www.sja.org.uk/
NHS 111 Service https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservices/Pages/NHS-111.aspx

Looking After Your Mental Health

Many fires and incidents the fire service attends are caused by people suffering with mental health issues.  Here are five practical ways to take care of your Mental Health and get the most from life.

5 Top Tips on Looking after your Mental Health

  1. Talk about your feelings and ask for help
  2. Eat Well and Keep Active
  3. Be Kind to yourself
  4. Take a Break
  5. Drink Sensibly

Useful Links

Mind Charity https://www.mind.org.uk/
Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/
NHS https://www.nhs.uk/