Fire safety
Keeping your home
safe from fire
Follow these tips to
keep your home safe
from fire.
Fire safety
Make sure your smoke detectors work
Make sure that you
have working smoke
detectors in your
property and that you
test them weekly. If you
think that any of your
smoke detectors aren’t
working, tell us straight
away.
Did you know?
Not having a
working smoke
alarm doubles your
risk of death in a fire
in the home.
Never cover or remove a
smoke detector.
Change the battery in the detector once a year,
unless it is connected to the mains electricity
– in which case we will maintain the back-up
battery every 10 years.
Kitchen safety
Be careful when cooking
with hot oil. Think about
buying a deep fat fryer
which is controlled by a
thermostat.
If you are cooking using
the hob or grill, never
leave the kitchen. Hot fats and oils, as well
as food, can easily overheat and catch fire. If
you are using the oven make sure you use a
timer. Many kitchen fires start while cooking is
unattended.
If you come across a fire in the kitchen don’t
try to tackle it. Turn off the heat if you can
safely, close the door on the kitchen, leave the
property and call 999.
Don’t leave children alone in the kitchen when
the hob or oven is on.
Did you know?
More than half
of all fires in the
home are caused
by cooking
accidents.
Be electrically aware
Faults with electric appliances and
installations are a common source
of a fire. Don’t keep replacing
blown fuses: get the appliance
checked out.
Make sure all electrical appliances have a British
or European safety mark when you buy them.
Report signs of scorching or discolouration on
electrical sockets to us immediately.
Don’t overload sockets with appliances – try to
keep one plug to each socket.
If you need to make
alterations to electrical
Did you know?
wiring, you will need
Faulty electrical
our permission first.
appliances, wiring
Any works must
and overloaded
be carried out by a
sockets cause around
qualified electrician.
7,000 fires in the
Check fire blankets
home every year
regularly for wear
in the UK.
and tear. Unplug your
electric blanket before
you get into bed,
unless it has a thermostat control for safe allnight use.
Secure portable heaters up against walls to
stop them falling over.
Use candles carefully
Never leave candles lit in rooms that no-one is
in or in rooms where children are on their own.
Make sure candles are in secure holders and
on a surface that does not burn. Always keep
candles away from curtains or anything else
that could catch fire.
Tea lights should not be placed directly on
tables, units or shelves as the metal holder can
get very hot. Make sure you place on a saucer
or candle holder.
Cigarettes
Stub cigarettes out properly and dispose of
them carefully.
Never smoke in bed.
Use a proper ashtray – never a wastepaper
basket. Make sure your ashtray can’t tip over
and is made of a material that won’t burn.
Take extra care if you smoke when you’re tired,
taking prescription drugs, or if you’ve been
drinking. You might fall asleep and set your
bed or sofa on fire.
Keep matches and lighters out of reach of
children. Consider buying child-resistant
lighters and match boxes.
Make an escape plan
Take notice of any fire evacuation signs in your
building. These will show you what to do in a
fire.
Plan your escape. If there was
a fire in your home would
everyone know how to get out
safely? Look at your options
and make a plan so that
everyone in your home knows how to
escape in a fire.
The best route is usually the normal
way in and out of your home.
If your normal exit was blocked by a
fire, how would you exit the property?
Think of a second exit route that is practical for
everyone in your home.
Keep the exits from your home clear so that
people can escape in a fire. If you live in a
building with shared areas (like a block of
flats), please read our separate leaflet about
fire safety in communal areas.
Make sure the keys to windows and doors are
easy to find.
In a fire, keep calm and act quickly. Close off
the room and make sure everyone leaves the
property safely. Call 999 and give an exact
address.
If you need help planning your escape route
or think you may have problems getting
out in a fire please call your Neighbourhood
Manager. They can visit you to talk about this
and help you write a personal evacuation plan.
Have a bedtime routine
Get into the habit of closing doors at night.
If you want to keep a child’s bedroom door
open, make sure you close the doors to the
lounge and kitchen. If a fire occurred at night
this would stop it spreading quickly through
the house.
Do not leave the TV or other electrical
appliances on standby.
Think about your furnishings
Check your furniture meets British Standards
and has the kite mark on the furniture label.
This means it contains fire-retardant filling
and won’t give off poisonous smoke in a fire.
Make sure furnishings are away from heat
sources such as fires, heaters and candles. If
you smoke at home, don’t rest your ashtray
on a sofa or chair – use a deep, heavy ashtray,
made from a non-flammable material.
If there is any immediate
danger to life, always call the
emergency services on
999
If English is not your first language and you
need a translation, we can get one for you.
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Curo
The Maltings
River Place
Lower Bristol Road
Bath BA2 1EP
T 01225 366000
E enquiries@curo-group.co.uk
www.curo-group.co.uk
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