Fire Safety While You Sleep

As you head off to bed in the evening, we appreciate that fire safety is probably not the first thing on your mind. But we know that many house fires happen at night when most people are sleeping, so it is well worth bearing the following in mind to you keep you, your family and your home safe.

Firstly, check your smoke alarms regularly. They are your early warning system in case of a fire, but they can’t do their job if they aren’t in working order. Get into the habit of checking them once a week and replace batteries when necessary. Never remove the batteries for any reason.

A working smoke alarm should wake you if a fire does break out but there are other steps you can take to stay safe.

Before climbing the stairs it’s important to make some checks. They only take a couple of minutes but can literally save lives:

Close all your internal doors, this can help to stop smoke and fire from spreading.

Turn off and unplug any electrical appliances such as televisions that don’t need to be used.

Switch off all chargers for mobile phones, tablets and computers.

Check that your oven and hob are switched off, especially if you have pets.

Switch off the washing machine, tumble drier and dishwasher.

Put out candles, incense sticks and oil burners before you go to sleep.

If you are a smoker put out cigarettes and double check them, it is advisable to wet them to be sure.

Never smoke in bed, quitting is best but if you can’t an e-cigarette is a safer option.

Turn off any heaters, rake out fires and ensure that there is a fire guard in place.

Make a quick check to ensure that your escape routes, in the event of a fire, are clear.

Check that window and door keys are easy to find in an emergency, and that other family members know where they are.

If anyone in the household requires a mobility aid, ensure that they are close to hand and easily accessible.

We hope this advice will help you to sleep soundly. Please make it part of your daily routine and share it with family and friends, in particular any neighbours that are elderly or vulnerable.

Need further advice? Many local fire brigades will offer home fire safety visits or get in touch with us and we will be happy to help.