[C]umbria Fire and Rescue Service is offering safety advice on domestic appliances as part of Home Fire Safety Week (2nd-8th October).
Home Fire Safety Week aims to raise awareness of the risk of accidental fires caused by home appliances and in particular white goods.
The week is focusing on encouraging people to make sure their home electrical appliances are as safe as possible by ensuring they are registered and correctly installed, maintained and used. Small changes in everyday behaviour can reduce the risk of an incident occurring or escalating.
Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) is also taking the opportunity to remind people of the importance of smoke alarms and escape routes.
Station manager Mark Ducie, of CFRS, said the service is working hard to reduce the risk of domestic fires through a number of initiatives, including Safe and Well home visits, fire station open days and fire safety messages to local communities.
Mark said: “Smoke alarms do save lives, but only if they work. Test yours every month to make sure they are in good working order and approximately every six months clean them out so they are in the best working order possible. However, smoke detectors have a life span of ten years and must be changed. Inside they have a sensor that will decay over time, so set a reminder on your phone’s calendar to prompt you about your monthly tests, six monthly hoover and ten-year exchange, it’s that simple!”
CFRS has issued the following advice about the importance of smoke alarms in the home:
- The easiest way to protect your home and family from fire is with working smoke alarms – get them, install them, test them. They could save your life.
- Fit at least one on every level of your home and test them monthly.
- Ten-year sealed battery smoke alarms are the best option, and you save on the cost of replacing batteries.
- If it is a ten-year alarm, you will need to replace the whole alarm every ten years.
- Never disconnect your alarms if ‘hard wired’ or take the batteries out if it goes off by mistake.
- The ideal position to install an alarm is on the ceiling in the middle of a room and on the hallway and landing so you can hear an alarm throughout your home.
- Don’t put alarms in or near kitchens or bathrooms where smoke or steam can set them off by accident.
- If it is difficult for you to fit smoke alarms yourself, contact Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service for a FREE Safe and Well visit on 0800 358 4777.
