Inspire Magazine - Summer 2017

The best way to keep everyone safe is to stop fires from happening in the first place.
Here are a few tips to help prevent a fire in your home and to help keep you safe in
the event of a fire.
1
Make sure the smoke
alarms in your flat are
tested. Test the batteries
in your smoke alarm
every week and change
them every year – never
remove them.
Don’t overload sockets.
Try to keep to one plug
per socket. Electrical
appliances, plugs and
cables that are old or
poorly wired can also
be a danger.
Use candles
carefully. Make
sure candles are
secured in a stable
holder and kept
away from curtains,
fabrics and paper.
Always put candles
out when you are
leaving the room or
going to bed.
Fire safety
8
6
4
Keep your keys easily
accessible. Always ensure
that keys to doors and
windows are kept in the
same place next to the
exit door so that you can
find them easily in an
emergency.
9
5
3
Ensure that no personal belongings are left along
corridors and stairways. These can cause trip hazards,
may block a fire exit route and may add fuel to a fire.
Take care when cooking.
More than half of accidental
fires start because of
something to do with
cooking. Take extra care
when cooking with hot
oil, don’t let pans boil dry
and take extra care when
making toast or grilling.
10
2
Plan an escape route and make a bed time check.
Plan the most practical route to escape your
home if there is a fire and make sure everyone in
the property knows the plan. Check for hazards
before you go to bed – it takes longer to become
aware of a fire if you are asleep.
7
Cigarettes – Put them out, right
out. More people die in fires
caused by smoking than in fires
caused by anything else, always
stub cigarettes out properly and
dispose of them carefully.
Contact the fire brigade for a home assessment, which is
free of charge. Further details are available here:
www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/fire_safety_advice/
Do not use or store
BBQs, gas cylinders or
anything flammable on
balconies, or right next
to your house.
20
@onemcr