The majority of fires in the home are caused by:

• Careless disposal of cigarettes, matches etc
• Pans/cooking left unattended.
• Faulty electrical appliances or misuse of appliances.
• Wilful acts of starting fires.

Take control. Take positive action to prevent a fire in your home.

• Ensure all cigarettes and smoking materials are extinguished correctly.
• Last thing at night check rooms and empty ashtrays.
• Never leave cooking unattended.
• Always ensure heaters are safely positioned away from combustibles.
• Never cover heaters with clothing, wet or dry.
• Be security conscious, don’t allow strangers to enter your home or building.

Fires that originate in the living room statistically kill more people, get into the routine of checking the living room for potential causes of fire before going to bed.

Last year nearly 800 people lost their lives in fires, don’t let yourself become a statistic, take action.

The accommodation you are in should contain a means of alerting you to the presence of fire and smoke. Most commonly this is a Smoke Alarm.

If you do not have a smoke alarm - GET ONE AND INSTALL IT (in accordance with the manufacture’s guidelines)

• Check your smoke alarm - Once a week, press the test button to check the alarm sounds. If the alarm does not work try fitting a new battery. If it still does not work, check the battery is fitted correctly and if it still does not work, replace it with a new model.
• Change the battery once a year or sooner if required, ideally on the same date every year ( a birthday or Christmas )
• Clean the alarm at least once a year. Battery operated by vacuuming inside. Mains operated by vacuuming the outside.

About 1 in 4 battery operated smoke alarms fail to operate because they do not have a battery in them or the battery fitted is flat. Once you have checked your smoke alarm fill in your test record.

FIRE SAFETY MEASURES

A fire can develop and spread very quickly, therefore it is essential for you to plan what action should be taken to escape.

• Alert everyone in the house - get out as quickly as possible
• Don’t look for the fire but if possible close the door of the room where the fire is. This should restrict the spread of smoke and flames.

• When outside go to a telephone and call 999 and ask for the Fire Brigade.
• Don’t go back in the house.
• Alert the neighbours.

• Alert everyone in the household - get into one room if possible (one with a telephone)
• Don’t open the door of a room if it feels warm when touched with the back of your hand.

Once inside the safe room, close the door and pack towels or clothing around it to keep smoke out. If there is a telephone call 999, if not go to a window, open it and shout FIRE to attract attention. Stay at the open window.

COLLEGE PROCEDURES

Whilst on College premises the procedure for fire evacuation are as follows:

• Activate the nearest break glass point.
• Evacuate the building by the nearest fire exit.
• Proceed to the nearest fire assembly point.
• Await instructions.

• Secure any equipment you are currently working with.
• Close windows.
• Leave by the nearest fire exit, closing doors behind you.
• Proceed to the nearest fire assembly point.
• Await instructions.