Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) is warning residents to ensure they install adequate working smoke alarms in their homes, to reduce their risk of house fires and provide an early warning should the worst happen.
HIWFRS has issued the warning during the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Home Fire Safety Week (12-18 June) as the number of house fires attended this year by the Service has already reached nearly 400.
The Service is also concerned that as many households continue to struggle with the cost of living, people may have bought products that could increase their risk of a fire in the home, or they may have decided to save money by cutting back on essential maintenance checks on fuel appliances such as boilers, open fires, and wood burners. These appliances should be tested regularly to make sure they work, and carbon monoxide alarms should also be fitted in the home to provide an early warning of any problems.
HIWFRS Prevention Manager Tracey Webb said:
“A few simple checks and changes can help keep homes safer, save lives and reduce injuries. There’s no denying that working smoke alarms save lives but we also want to remind people that they need to assess the needs of their individual homes when determining the level of protection they need, and in which rooms smoke alarms should be fitted.
“We advise fitting at least one smoke alarm on every floor of the home and ideally these should be fitted in the rooms that are used most often as this is where a fire is most likely to start. We offer additional support to fit smoke alarms for those who are most vulnerable to fire via our Safe and Well visits. Prevention work is at the heart of all fire and rescue service work, and we are here to help.”
Top tips:
- Aim to fit a minimum of one smoke alarm on every floor of your home (in a circulation space such as a hall or landing).
- Additional smoke alarms should be fitted in every room in the house which is regularly inhabited (i.e., bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms) based upon the fire risk to the occupants.
- Where possible, smoke alarms should be inter-linked so that all will activate within the property irrespective of the fire location.
- Test smoke alarms regularly (ideally once a week but at least once a month).
Incidents of note:
- 2 June, 10:32: Crews from Beaulieu, Lymington and Hardley were called to a house fire in Warton Close, East Boldre after a pan was left unattended on a stove. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus stopped the blaze using hose reel jets before clearing smoke from the property with ventilation fans. The stop message was received at 11:17am and crews carried out community safety activity before leaving the scene. The working smoke alarm triggered a prompt 999 call, highlighting the importance of having adequate working smoke detection in the home.
- 29 May,16:21: Isle of Wight firefighters were called to a residential property on Swanmore Road in Ryde. Crews from Ryde used two hose reel jets to put the fire (located in a first-floor bedroom) out and they also used ventilation fans to clear smoke. The stop message came in at 18:09. Due to working smoking alarms an early warning was given and all persons were out of the house and accounted for by the time crews arrived on the scene.
Find out more about our free Home fire safety visits (Safe and Well)