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Fire in the Home

If it happens when you and your family are up and awake, you stand a very good chance of getting out unhurt. If it happens at night, when and your family are asleep, your survivability could be less certain.

Did you know?

• You’re twice as likely to die in a fire if you don’t have a smoke alarm that works.
• Nationally 90 people die each year because the battery in their smoke alarm was flat or missing.
• Over half of home fires are caused by cooking accidents.
• More than five fires a day are started by candles.
• Every three days someone dies from a fire caused by a cigarette.
• Faulty electrics (appliances, wiring and overloaded sockets) cause around 7,000 house fires across the country every year.

(Statistics from www.direct.gov.uk)

A fire in the home can spread with amazing speed so if you haven't taken steps to protect yourself and your family, and there is a fire, especially at night, the amount of warning you might get could be...

NONE WHATSOEVER!

Fire Prevention at Home

Preventing fire in the home is something we should all make a priority, and Bedfordshire & Luton Fire & Rescue Service (BLFRS) is keen to help everyone make sure their homes are a safe as possible. While all Fire & Rescue Services have fighting fires as a top priority, preventing them from happening in the first place ranks as equally important, and the BLFRS Community Fire Safety Department were unstinting in the help and support they gave the BEST Advice team in preparing this section of the web site.

Their website offers a wealth of information and is one of the best of its type we visited. The website address is www.bedsfire.com

Before we look at what to do if there is a fire, let's look at some simple tips to prevent one happening in the first place.

Home Fire Safety Check

The first thing you can do is have a Home Fire Safety Check done on your home. This is a service offered by BLFRS. At a time convenient to you a member of the service will visit you at your home. They will be carrying identification so you will know they are who they say they are, and the visits are always prearranged. They will walk round your property with you and highlight any fire risks. If you haven't got any smoke alarms, or the ones you do have don't work, or are in the wrong place, they will fit new ones for you.

If you are hearing impaired then they will fit a special type of alarm for you, specifically designed to alert those with hearing difficulties. They will help you to make a fire plan and if you already have one, they will go through it with you. If someone in the house is elderly, or disabled they will advise you on what extra provisions you might need to consider to ensure their safety in the event of a fire. They will answer any questions you may have about fire safety in your home.

The service offers friendly understandable advice, specific to your home, which is given by a highly trained fire safety advisor.

And the cost of this service? Absolutely free, no charge whatsoever, although the offer of a cup of tea is always well received.

At BEST Advice, we consider this service to be one of the best ways you can safeguard your family against the danger of fire, and it will cost you nothing except a small amount of time. If you don't want to have a free check of your property then there are still lots of things you can do yourself.

(Details of how to book your free home safety check are given at the end of this section.)

Smoke Detectors

Get them! Fit them!

These small and unobtrusive gadgets detect smoke in the air and sound a loud alarm to warn you. They are probably the greatest step you can take in protecting your family against the threat of a fire. They retail from as little as £4.99 at Argos and are simple to fit.

Fit at least one on every level of your house, more if your property is large. It's a good idea to fit one on the landing to detect any smoke coming up the stairs and it will wake you and your family if a fire starts at night while you are sleeping.

Check them... Regularly

Get into a routine of checking your smoke alarms every week. An easy way to do this is to add the check on to another regular weekly activity. If you go to the gym every Thursday, check them when you come home. If you put the bins out every Friday do it then.

All alarms have a test button, so the test procedure is easy. Just press the test button and the alarm will sound for a few seconds. Many alarms come with a built in light, and that should come on as well during the test cycle.

Change the battery

Most smoke alarms will give some sort of warning when the battery is starting to die, usually an intermittent beeping. If the battery in the alarm is going flat, don't leave it, change it. A smoke alarm with a flat battery is as much use as no smoke alarm at all. Change the battery as soon as you can.

Don't remove the battery

If the battery on the TV remote dies on you, don't take out the smoke alarm battery to use instead. Chances are you will forget to replace it when you go to bed and a smoke alarm with no battery is as much use as having an alarm with a flat one. No use at all.

If your alarm has a built in battery it should last for many years, but when the battery does go flat, replace the unit. Every month or so when you are doing the cleaning use the vacuum cleaner hose to clean the alarm vents to stop a build up of dust inside.

Candles

Romantic, sweet smelling, relaxing, and very dangerous.

In the early hours of February 2nd 2005 one member of the public and two Fire Fighters died in a 14th floor flat fire at Harrow Court in Stevenage.

There was no operational smoke alarm in the premises and the cause of the fire was a tea light candle which had been placed on a TV set and had melted the casing, igniting the interior. The occupant of the flat became trapped by the rapidly developing blaze and Fire Fighters Jeff Wornham and Michael Miller from Blue Watch at Stevenage Fire Station died attempting to rescue the occupant, who also died in the fire and a further seven residents of the tower block suffered injuries, some serious.

Candles are dangerous. The metal containers of tea lights can get extremely hot and should never be placed on anything plastic or inflammable.

Candles of any sort should NEVER be left unattended and should always be used in a container or holder. Never place a lit candle near anything which could catch fire, like curtains, and never move a lit candle. Blow it out, move it and re- light it. If the flame starts to flicker, the candle is in a draught, move it to a safer place.

Discourage, or better still, don't let, teenagers use candles in their room. Yes, they make for a wonderful ambience and create a peaceful and relaxing environment, but sadly a Fire Appliance screeching to a halt outside the house to deal with a fire in your teenager's bedroom is neither peaceful nor relaxing and can be avoided by not letting them use candles.

Finally, make sure all candles are out before you go to bed at night.

Chip Pans

Chip pans are a major fire risk. When oil reaches a certain temperature it will self ignite. It reaches what is called a "flash point" and when this happens its heat causes it to catch fire. What to do if this should happen is covered later in this section, but realistically, there is no need to use an open chip pan any more. Oven chips are simpler, safer and just as tasty. (Forget about those and they will burn and smoke, not burst into flames!) You could also swap the chip pan for a deep fat fryer which has a in-built thermostat so the oil can't over heat.

If you absolutely insist on using one, then follow these simple safety tips.

Never fill the pan more than one third full of oil.

Never leave the pan unattended. If the door bell or telephone goes, turn the heat off and move the pan off the ring.

Never, ever, use one if you have been drinking. We all know the adage "Don't Drink and Drive", well don't drink and cook either. While a late night fry up or a portion of chips may seem like a good idea, if you sit down and fall asleep and leave the pan on the heat, the result is as inevitable as it is dangerous.

If the pan starts to smoke, the oil has got too hot and is getting close to igniting. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool down before starting again. (A good tip to see if the oil is ready to use is to drop a small piece of bread into it. If the bread goes brown and crisps up, the oil is ready.)

Never carry a pan with hot oil in it.

If the oil does ignite:

• Don't panic
• Turn off the heat
• Don’t move the pan, leave it completely alone
• Get out. Get the family out
• Stay out. Get the Fire Service out

NEVER use water on a chip pan fire

The reason you should never put water on a flaming chip pan is one of very simple physics.

The water will hit the super heated oil, and as oil floats on water, the water will sink. It will immediately vaporise into super heated steam and expand causing, in effect, an explosion in the pan which will spray flaming oil in a fireball all over the room and anyone standing within several feet of it.

If you want to see this actually happen then go to the BLFRS website, on the right of the home page click on the "fire kills" link and then when the page refreshes click on the right hand side link to "fire safety videos". On the scrolling list of videos available select "Don't try this at home". This short, but very impactful video shows what happens if you try to move an ignited chip pan, and if you throw water on it.

Smoking

Smoking is still a major cause of fire in the home. If you do smoke then, always use an ashtray.

Don't smoke if you feel tired or drowsy and try not to light up if you come in from a good night out, or if you have been drinking at home.

A common cause of smoking related fires is someone falling asleep with a lit cigarette, which then falls onto something inflammable. Make sure all smoking materials are extinguished and ashtrays are in a safe place, like the kitchen sink, before you go to bed, and never smoke in bed.

Electricity

We all know electricity is a dangerous thing and teach our children accordingly, but besides the danger of getting a shock, electricity and electrical appliances can hold other dangers with regard to heat and fire.

Be vigilant

As you go around your house doing the inevitable chores, keep an eye out for things like heat marks on the face plates of plug sockets (shows the plug is getting hot) frayed electrical cables, or overloaded plug sockets.

Don't overload plug sockets

A True story: A member of the BEST Advice team once went into a teenager’s bedroom and found that the teenager in question had plugged a four point extension socket in to a single plug on the wall. One of the points had been used to plug in a second four point extension socket and the seven available plugs were powering a TV, fan heater, hair drier, computer, printer, curling tongs and a Play Station, all of which were, of course, turned on. Three USB ports on the computer tower were powering a mobile telephone, an I-Pod and charging a friend’s mobile. In effect ten appliances all running off one wall socket.

Over loaded sockets cause fires, so avoid "over ganging" one socket, and never use extension cords when it is not necessary. Make sure that all electrical flex's and cords are in good order. Besides being an electric shock hazard, damaged cords can start a fire. Don't repair damaged cords with electrical tape either. Damaged cords should be replaced and if that can't be done, the appliance should be replaced. If the flex can be replaced then use a qualified electrician to do it. Take care with portable heaters and space heaters. Don't put them too close to anything which could catch fire and never place anything on the top of them.

Play safe with light bulbs

Yes, even the humble light bulb isn't without its dangers. If you have ever tried to change one as soon as it’s blown you will know what we mean straight away. They get hot, very hot, so don't put anything on top of a table lamp shade.

Finally, and nothing to do with fire, we will add two more safety tips concerning electricity. Use a RCB plug (Residual Circuit Breaker) or invest in a fuse box that has one built in. These smart devices automatically shut off the power if they detect an imbalance in the flow of electricity, so if you run over the lawnmower flex it’s an inconvenience rather than a major incident. When built into fuse boxes they are a safety feature which works on all electrical outlets in your home.

If you have toddlers or small children use plug socket caps to prevent little fingers shoving things into the socket holes that don't belong there.

Lighters & Matches

This is an obvious piece of fire safety advice really. Keep lighters and matches well out of reach of children. It's only natural for kids to want experiment, but unsupervised children and any ignition source is a recipe of disaster. When they are old enough, teach them that lighters and matches are just like tools and should not be touched until you have been taught how to use them properly and safely.

Fires & Wood Burners

All fires need regular maintenance. Make sure gas appliances are checked by a qualified gas engineer and that flues especially are working properly. Chimneys should be swept at least once a year, preferably in the autumn before you start using the fire for the winter.

If the fire is an open one, then always use a fire guard.

Bonfires & Barbecues

A lot of ladies will tell you that for some inexplicable reason, men are attracted to bonfires and barbeques like moths to a flame (no pun intended). To some degree that is true as often the most "kitchen shy" man can be seen attending to a summer barbeque and doing so with every sign of great enjoyment.

Sadly, every year hundreds of people, including children, end up in the Accident and Emergency Department of their local hospitals as a result of burns caused by mishandled bonfires or barbeques.

Never ever use petrol, paraffin, meths or any other volatile accelerant to kick start either.

Petrol as a liquid doesn't burn, it's the vapour or fumes which burn, so if you pour petrol on your bonfire and the wind is blowing towards you, so is the petrol vapour. This vapour can ignite with a high degree of ferocity and form a fireball which will burn anything it touches. Use paper and kindling to start your bonfire and either barbecue lighter blocks or specially manufactured barbeque lighter fluid to get the Barbie going. This type of fluid is much less volatile than petrol and won't catch with anywhere near the same ferocity.

Other Barbecue Safety Tips

Young children and barbeques don’t mix. The cooking area of a barbecue will reach very high temperatures and an inquisitive hand reaching for that extra sausage when you back is turned is likely to receive a very severe deep burn. Don't let children run or play near a lit barbeque and remember even after you have stopped cooking the grill area, the coals and the casing will remain very hot, often for hours.

Think about using an incinerator in the garden instead of an open bonfire and whichever you use, site it away from the garden shed and overhanging trees. If you are burning stuff in the garden be careful of what you put on the fire. Never burn aerosol containers, even empty ones. Even when the contents have been fully used up, the propellant gas is still inside. If you try to burn the container, the gas will heat up, expand and the container will explode. If this happens any one standing close by is at risk of being hit by a shard of hot sharp metal.

Remember the embers from burning wood, leaves and other items will get carried up with the hot gases from the fire, and these embers can remain alight for some time, so always think carefully about where these could land and always have a bucket of water or a garden hose handy, just in

Teach your children

When you think your children are old enough, teach them about fire and its dangers.

What to do if it actually happens?

So, having looked at how to prevent a fire, let’s step into the nightmare scenario of a fire actually happening, and what to do if it does. We mentioned at the start of this section just how fast a fire can develop and spread, and the lethal toxic smoke it produces will build up even faster. Just a few lung full’s of this smoke can incapacitate and only a few more can kill.

If a fire starts...

GET OUT

GET YOUR FAMILY OUT

STAY OUT

CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE

Now, you have fire drills at work and your kids have them at school, so why not do something similar at home. We can't impress upon you strongly enough, seconds will count in the event of a serious fire, and any fire in a house at night is a serious one. If people know exactly what to do it's easier to get everyone out safely.

Make a family fire plan

Do this as family. You don't want to do it in a way that scares younger children so explain it's a safety plan just like the fire drill they do at school and you are practising in case there should ever be a fire so they will know what to do. Make sure everyone knows what to do, and work out how to get out of the house in an emergency. Give yourself more than one escape point in case a fire prohibits you from using the main way out. Practise your fire plan regularly so everyone knows what to do and it becomes second nature.

Close all doors before you go to bed. A door, even an internal one will keep a fire at bay for a considerable time, giving you the time to get out. If you need to open a closed door to get out, feel it first with the back of your hand to check for heat. If it's hot, don't open it. Try to find another way out.

Ensure all exits are clear. Don't leave things in front of doors and make sure you can open locked doors easily.

Make sure you have a torch and your mobile close to hand at night. Keep a torch near the bed as well as your mobile telephone. In the event of a fire you could need both, and you won't waste valuable seconds trying to find them.

Make sure that your family knows that if you do wake up to the sound of the smoke alarm and find the house smoke logged, stay low, as close to the floor as you can. The smoke, being hot will rise and any clear area will be low down.

If you can't find a way out, then call the Fire Service and get you and your family into a room and let the Fire Service emergency operator know exactly where that room is. The first thing the Fire Service will do when they arrive is get to you and get you out. Shut the room door and put something, towels, and bedding, anything against the bottom of the door. Open the window and try to stay calm. If the room is on the ground floor and there is a window, all the better, you have an easy way out. If it's on an upper floor, then think about lowering your family to safety and getting yourself out. If that can't be done stay there and wait for the Fire Service.

Other sources of information

For a free home fire safety check by BLFRS simply call: 0800 043 5042

Alternatively, e-mail your Name, Full Address, including postcode and contact number, to hfs@bedsfire.com and they will shortly be in contact to arrange your Home Fire Safety Check and Smoke Alarm provision. More details are provided on the excellent Bedfordshire & Luton Fire & Rescue Service (BLFRS) website.

You can also check out:

• FireService - a site run by Fire-fighters and packed with good advice, information and tips.
• Fire Kills - The Government site full of useful information.

For help with the fire plan try the kid friendly:

• Fire Escape Plan - a very "child friendly" site helping younger children to draw up their own fire plans for the whole family to use.

Finally click on the link below to read the Government's fire safety advice pamphlet:

Fire Safety Pamphlet - "Fire Safety in the Home"

We would like to thank Bedfordshire & Luton Fire and Rescue Service and in particular, Station Commander Derek Hobbs and Watch Manager Cliff Banks from the Community Fire Safety Department for their help in the preparation of this section of BEST Advice.