Fire service backs alarm push

The fire service’s new Fire Kills campaign highlights new statistics that show a smoke alarm typically alerts householders to just one in every three fires in homes across England.

These latest figures reveal that one smoke alarm may not be enough to provide you and your family with the best chance of escaping a fire in the home.

Despite 88 per cent of homes in England having at least one working smoke alarm, these alarms have been proven to fail to activate in two out of three occasions, if the fire is outside of its range.

Head of community safety, Trevor Bernard, said: “We all must make sure that we have enough smoke alarms throughout our homes and that they are in the right places. If you whole home isn’t covered, you could be leaving it to chance and, in the event of a fire, you might not get the early warning that you so vitally need.

“The vast majority of us now have at least one working smoke alarm in our home, but early detection and warning is vital to reduce the devastation a fire can cause. That’s why it’s so important that you have enough smoke alarms and that they are in the right places. That will give them the best chance of alerting you and your loved ones to a fire.

“You should make sure you have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, preferably in hallways and landings. And placing smoke detectors near to sleeping areas and in rooms where there are electrical appliances could give you the extra warning you need.

“It’s also important to remember that smoke alarms don’t last forever. The power might work, but the detection mechanism deteriorates with time. So whether they are battery operated or wired to the mains, to work at their best they should be replaced every ten years.”

Visit www.syfire.gov.uk