Children from the poorest families are 38 times more likely to die in a house fire than children from the most affluent families. Families where someone smokes are at greatest risk. Cigarettes, matches and lighters are the biggest single cause of fatal house fires but smokers are less likely to own a smoke alarm than non-smokers.
At home
The simplest and most effective way to prevent death and injury from house fires is to have a working smoke alarm on every level of the home. You and your family are four times as likely to die in a fire if your smoke alarm doesn’t work.It’s especially important if a fire starts at night. This is because breathing in the thick, black smoke from a fire can kill people so quickly that they never wake up.
Plan and practice how you and your family are going to escape if a fire breaks out. Having a well-rehearsed escape plan can save vital minutes, and can literally be a matter of life or death for your family.
Teach children what they should do if a fire breaks out. They will be scared and may be tempted to hide which means it takes longer to find and rescue them.
Follow a night-time routine – switch off appliances, close doors and windows, and make sure cigarettes and candles are completely extinguished.
Clear away any clutter in the hallway before you go to bed. If a fire breaks out you don’t want to be tripping over things in the rush to escape, especially if the house is filled with thick black smoke and it’s dark.
Barbecue Safety
- Always leave lighting a barbeque to a responsible adult
- Ensure you keep your barbeque a safe distance from trees, bushes and anything else that may catch fire before lighting it
- Make sure that your barbeque is placed on a flat surface so it stays in place once it’s lit
- Always stand back from a barbeque and keep a safe distance whilst it is in use
- Stand back from the edge of the platform at the railway station and never push anyone whilst on the platform