The festive season is upon us and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) and the Fire Kills campaign are encouraging people to give their loved ones the gift of safety when celebrating this year.
Paul Scott, Central Hub Prevention Manager for RBFRS, says: “While fire safety is important all year around, the festive period combines many common risks that may have life-threatening consequences.
“Protect yourself and your loved ones by installing working smoke alarms on every level of your home. Be sure to check on vulnerable neighbours and relatives by helping them test their smoke alarms.
“We remind residents of Berkshire to always call 999 in the case of an emergency. Try to escape or take refuge in a safe room with a window and phone. Place bedding or something similar around the door to prevent smoke from coming in, and speak clearly to the operator to help them understand the details of the situation.”
Follow our festive fire safety tips:
- Ensure you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test them once a week and never remove the batteries.
- Never leave cooking unattended. Avoid cooking while under the influence of alcohol, and always remember to turn off kitchen appliances once you have finished.
- Never leave lit candles unattended. Keep them out of reach of children and pets, and away from curtains, decorations and other flammable materials.
- Take care when putting up your decorations. Some decorations are made from highly flammable materials, so never attach them to lights or heaters.
- Check that your lights have that British Safety Standard kitemark symbol. This shows that the product meets British safety requirements. Always unplug your lights when they are not in use.
- Do not overload electrical sockets. Always unplug electrical products and turn off plugs when they are not in use.
- Real Christmas trees can become a fire hazard if they are not cared for properly. Regularly water your tree to prevent it from drying out and accidentally setting alight.
- Keep electric heaters well away from furniture and curtains. Never use them to dry clothes, and remember to turn off and unplug before you leave the room or go to bed.
- Never use hot water bottles in the same bed as an electric blanket. Remember to turn off electric blankets before going to sleep.
- If you use an open fire to warm your home, ensure that your chimney is clean and well-maintained, and always use a fireguard to protect against flying embers.
For more festive fire safety advice, please see our Safety at Home webpage and our Celebrating Safely webpage.
Likewise, we will be posting videos covering a wider range of festive safety topics across our social media throughout December. See the videos in our YouTube playlist.