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Important Fire Safety

Most fires in the home start accidentally and the effects can be devastating

It’s important that you know how to reduce the chances of a fire starting in your home and keep yourself, your family and your property safe from fire.

Click here for important information and advice from London Fire Brigade's website or read their Fire Safety at home leaflet here.

How at risk of fire is your home?

London Fire Brigade can assess your home for free and offer advice on how to make it safer; where appropriate they will fit a smoke alarm.

The home fire safety visit is usually for people regarded as having a higher risk of fire in the home, such as:

  • Older people living alone.
  • People with mobility, vision or hearing impairments.
  • People accessing mental health service users.
  • Those liable to intoxication through alcohol and/or drug use.

If you are concerned that your home may be at risk of fire, or you know someone who you think needs our help, you can arrange a free home fire safety visit.

Evacuation Guidance

The Fire Brigade's advice is that if you live in a house converted into flats, and become aware of a fire in a neighbouring flat, you should leave the building immediately, providing it is safe to do so and wait outside, at a safe distance, for the emergency services to arrive.

Click on the picture below to open up our fire action guidance

 

More information about fire safety can be found on the London Fire Brigade website here

 

Action to take in the event of a fire.

 

  • All homes should have working smoke alarms.  All residents should regularly test their smoke alarms.

 

  • If you discover a fire in your flat, make sure all occupants of your flat leave immediately, closing doors behind you and make your way out of the building. Immediately call the Fire Brigade on 999.

 

  • If either your smoke alarm or a neighbours smoke alarm alerts you to a possible fire, again leave the building immediately, closing doors and windows behind you and make your way out of the building.  Immediately call the Fire Brigade on 999.

 

  • It is particularly important to make sure your flat front door is closed to stop the fire following you and also blocking the escape route for your neighbours. 

 

  • If your escape route is affected by fire or smoke and you are unable to leave the building, stay in your flat in a room with a window, call the Fire Brigade on 999 and they will provide life safety advice until fire crews arrive at the building.

 

Making Sure Your Alarms Work

Fitting alarms save lives, but only if they are working. Test yours every month.

It’s as simple as pushing the button.

  • Change the battery if it starts to bleep on a regular basis.
  • Never disconnect or take the batteries out of your alarms if they go off by mistake.
  • Some alarms are fitted with 10 year or long-lasting sealed batteries, these should not be removed or replaced as doing so will damage the alarms beyond repair.

Last updated May 2022