Fire Safety - Fact Sheet

In conjunction with Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue, the BBC Cambridgeshire Action Desk would like all its listeners to help promote fire safety awareness in the home. Please read the safety tips below and make sure everyone in your family knows how to prevent fires and what to do in case of an emergency.

In case of an emergency dial: 999

What to do in a Fire - GET OUT, STAY OUT, CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE OUT!

Get out

• f possible, close the door to the room where there is a fire
  
• Before opening any door, use the back of your hand to feel how warm it is. Don’t open it if it feels warm - the fire will be on the other side!
• Get everyone out of the house as quickly as possible. Don’t stop for valuables
• Keep escape routes as clear as possible. If you need to break a window, cover the jagged glass with towels or bedding. If you need to jump use cushions or bedding to break your fall
• If you cannot get out, call the fire brigade on the telephone, and/or yell "Fire" from the windows. The fire brigade should arrive within minutes
• If the room is smoky, crawl along the floor where it is easier to breathe

Stay Out

• Don’t go back into your home for anything until a fire officer says it is safe

Call the fire brigade Out

• Once outside, call the fire brigade immediately on 999 from your neighbour’s house or a telephone box

Smoke Detectors and Alarms

GET A SMOKE ALARM AND CHECK REGULARLY THAT IT WORKS!

• Smoke alarms only cost around £5 in hardware stores and supermarkets
• They are easy to install
• Never remove the batteries without replacing them
• Test your alarms regularly - the Fire Brigade recommends once a week
• If you live on one floor, fit the alarm in the hallway between the living and sleeping areas. If you live on 2 or more levels, fit the alarm at the bottom of the staircase and on each landing. Seek advice from a Fire Safety Officer if you are unsure.

Dangers and Safety Tips

• Chip pans / Deep fat fryers
• Never fill a pan more than one-third full of oil or fat
  Never leave a pan unattended when on the heat
• Never put food in the pan if the oil is giving off smoke
• If the pan catches fire: do not move it; turn of the heat if it is safe to do so; cover the pan with a damp (not sopping wet) towel
• Never throw water onto the fire.

Open Fires & Portable Heaters

• Always use a fire guard
• Never to leave clothes or newspapers nearby
• Switch off all portable heaters at bedtime

Smoking

• Never leave a lit cigarette or pipe unattended
• Never smoke in a chair when you may doze off - and never smoke in bed
• Always keep matches and lighters well out of reach of children
• When emptying ashtrays, make sure contents are cold

Candles

• Do not place candles near curtains or other such material, and never leave them unattended
• Make sure they are on a firm, stable, non-flammable surface
• Make sure they are properly extinguished after use

Electrical Appliances

• Ensure that power sockets are not overloaded
• Switch off and unplug appliances if they are not necessary, or not designed for prolonged use

Bed Time Routine

• Switch off and unplug all electrical appliances not designed to stay on
• Make sure that all fires, candles, cigarettes, pipes and ashtrays are out cold
• Close the doors of all rooms
• Make sure that your escape routes are as clear as possible

Escape Routes

• Plan your escape routes in case of a fire, and make sure everyone in your home is aware of them
• If possible avoid having to escape through higher fire risk areas like the kitchen
• Keep keys near the doors that they open
• Keep escape routes clear

Further Fire Safety Advice

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue

• For more information on Fire Safety, call the Community Fire Safety Team on 01480 444500
• Or check their website (http://www.cambsfire.gov.uk) for information and easily printable fact sheets

Advice for Elderly and Disabled People

• Your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Age Concern can give you advice on local voluntary groups who can help you, and what benefits may be due to you in ensuring fire safety in your home
• For people who cannot hear a conventional smoke alarm there are special devices available which make use of a vibrating pad and/or flashing light instead of the audible signal. Further information is available from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People or your local fire station or the Community Fire Safety Team

Bogus Callers and Hoax Calls

• If you have asked someone to come to your home to install smoke alarms or give fire safety advice, make sure they are trustworthy, or that you have someone with you when they come into your home
• Fire Safety officers carry identification, and you can call their office to check their identity (01480 444500) . They will not be offended if you ask for their identification, or if you close the door on them while you call the number to check their identity. If you are troubled by bogus callers, contact the Crime Prevention Officer in your area (Cambridge area 01223 358 966), (March area 01354 652 561), (Peterborough area 01733 563 232), (Huntingdon area 01480 456 111). You can also contact the BBC Cambridgeshire Action Desk for a Fact Sheet on Bogus Callers.
• Malicious hoax calls to 999 are illegal and can threaten lives. If fire crews are responding to a hoax call it means that they are not able to go immediately to a genuine fire call.