Have you thought about what you might do if there was a fire within your home? It sounds like a dark thought however we must be prepared for the worst. Have you got working smoke detectors in your home? Do you have an escape route available if there was to be a fire? If you have answered no to any of the above questions then you need to do all you can to ensure you and your family are safe from any risks – this will put your mind at ease. If you are ever to come face to face with an unfortunate fire you must be prepared to act fast – here are a few simple steps you may want to consider doing to improve the safety within your home.
1. Keep your home safe
Practising fire safety will allow you and your family to fully understand what to do if there was to be a fire in your home. Having children will no doubt make you even more aware of what you may do in an emergency, fire safety will help you to produce a thorough escape plan so you can be alert and ready in the event of fire.
2. Install smoke alarms
More than 50% of deaths caused by fires are due to smoke inhalation – caused by not having a working smoke detector or even one at all! If you install a smoke detector you are increasing your chance of survival, make sure alarms are located throughout your home and they are in full working condition. Think about the last time you changed the batteries of your smoke detector, twice a year is usually the one to go by. Working smoke detectors save lives!
3. Look out for hazards
You must keep a lookout for any present hazards throughout your home, you may be unaware that you are putting yourself at risk but small faults can lead to a disaster. For example, too many items plugged into the socket at once, worn out electrical wires, leaving a candle unattended or leaving appliances on after cooking. These are all simple mistakes we make without thinking of the consequences, a fire can become out of control within minutes due to how quickly they spread. Think before you put yourself at danger.
4. Fire Extinguishers
Having a fire extinguisher in your home and knowing how to use one is very important and should be part of your home emergency plan. Extinguishers should only be used for small and contained fires – if the fire is large and uncontrollable you must exit your home immediately and let the fire services deal with the fire. However, if you are going to use the extinguisher you need to be fully trained on how to use it, fires grow rapidly and time must not be delayed due to not being able to operate it. Know how to use it before a fire occurs and you have no idea.
5. Last minute checks
Before going to bed you must follow safety measures throughout your home, switching off and plugging all electrical items is a must – leaving them on standby is not the same, switch them off and make sure they are eliminated from the risks you may have. Unplug phone chargers, there has been an increase in fires over the years due to mobile phones overheating whilst plugged into an electric source. Identify any risks or hazards and eliminate them, increase the fire safety throughout your home and act now.
Contact the risk management team at https://www.bollington.com or call 01625 854300 for more information on risk assessments and what you can do to protect your home.
