Fire Kills - you can prevent it

Many fires in the home are caused by a single moment of carelessness and could be easily prevented. It is important to be aware of possible fire hazards around the home and to take steps to protect you and your family from fire.

Smoke alarms

Smoke alarms detect smoke at the earliest stages of a fire, giving you vital extra time to escape. Ensuring you have a working smoke alarm fitted is an important precaution to protect your home and family from fire.

Fit alarms on every level of your home – remember to test the batteries every week and never remove the batteries. Also remember not to put alarms in kitchens or bathrooms where smoke and steam could accidentally set them off.

There is a lot more life-saving information on smoke alarms and other fire safety tips in the home so follow the links below for more advice.

• Smoke alarms
• Fire safety in the home

Preventing common fires

Over half of all fires in the home are caused by cooking accidents, but there are important precautions you can take to keep you and your family safe when busy in the kitchen.

• always take extra care with hot oil
• avoid leaving children alone in the kitchen when cooking
• make sure you keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach to keep them safe

Other common fires in the home can be prevented by following these steps:

• make sure that candles are in secure holders and never leave them unattended
• do not overload electrical sockets
• put cigarettes out properly

To read lots more simple and practical advice on how to prevent common fires in your home to keep you and your family safe, follow the links below.

• Kitchen safety
• Candle safety
• Smoking safety
• Electrical safety
• Fire safety in the home

Planning an escape route

Planning an escape route is crucial in being prepared for an emergency and can save you valuable time in the event of a fire. Make sure everyone knows how to escape and keep all exits clear. Always keep keys for doors and windows where everyone can find them.

If there is a fire, get everyone out of the building as soon as possible and call 999.

For lots more information and tips from the Fire Kills campaign on Directgov about preventing and escaping from home fires, follow the links below:

• Planning your escape
• Fire safety in the home
• Download Fire safety in the Home leaflet (PDF, 371kb)