What do I do if there’s a fire?
Don’t try to fight it yourself
Try to leave and call 999 to tell us where the fire is and what’s on fire. Be ready to give your address and what the fire looks like so the emergency services can decide how many fire engines to send.
If you smell smoke…
If you need to get out of the room you’re in, touch the door handle with the back of your hand. If it’s cold, open the door and crawl to the nearest exit. If it’s hot, block the bottom of the door with a duvet, blanket or towel and go to the nearest window and shout “Fire, Fire, Fire” as loud as you can.
I always recommend having an escape plan so that you know what to do in an emergency.
How can I keep myself, my family and my pets safe from fire?
Make sure you have working smoke alarms throughout your home. I’d recommend everyone has one fitted in every room where a fire can start.
Push the button, not your luck!
Test smoke alarms regularly to check they’re working. Some smoke alarms need batteries so remember to replace them if they don’t work.
Escape Plan: Have you and your family got an escape plan in case of a fire?
Do you know the best route out of your house in an emergency? I encourage you to sit down with your family and chat about the best route out. Then, practice your fire escape plan with your whole family so they know what to do.
Here are some handy hints for your escape plan:
- Whenever you hear the alarm, get out quick, safe from harm.
- Touch the door, so you’re sure (if the door is hot, it is not safe to open).
- On the way out, give everyone a shout (so everyone knows there’s an emergency).
- Never try and fight the fire yourself – you can get hurt.
- Close the door – a closed door will hold a fire back for 20 minutes!
- Crawl under smoke, so you don’t choke.
- Make sure you know where the keys for windows/doors are kept.
- Don’t hide, go outside! And never go back in (unless a firefighter says it’s safe)!
What dangers can you spot around the home?
Sometimes items you use every day could become a fire risk if used incorrectly.
- Don’t overload a plug socket! Putting too many plugs into one plug socket is a common cause for an electrical fire.
- Cooking – never leave cooking unattended. If you need to leave the kitchen, turn everything off.
- If charging a device like a phone or laptop, always do it on a hard surface and not on a carpet, bed or sofa. If your family likes gaming, then always be aware of how hot the device is when in use. Switch it off completely when you’re not using it.
Conversation starters
See how much your child has learnt about fire safety by asking some of these discussion questions:
-
If you were home and smelled smoke, what steps would you take to stay safe until firefighters arrived?
-
If the smoke alarm went off tonight, what’s the quickest and safest way out of our house?
- What kind of things do you think might be fire risks? Can you spot any in our home?
