Keep people you love fire safe this winter

This winter, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is asking people to ‘make time to check in on their loved ones this winter’ by doing three simple things to keep them safer from fire in their home:

Check their smoke alarms – clean them, test them, and make sure they are in the right place.
Keep their cooking area tidy, avoid distractions, and use a cooking timer.
Do our online home safety check with them to identify the fire risks in their home.

Check on the safety of your loved ones this winter

1. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

A smoke or carbon monoxide alarm will only save your life if it’s working. Never cover your alarms or take out the batteries.

We recommend the following actions for every smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm in your home:

Clean it

In autumn, dust and insects can get into the grill of your smoke alarm and set it off accidentally. Vacuum the smoke alarm to prevent this from happening. You may need a step ladder to do this.

Test it

90 people die in the UK every year because the battery in their alarm is flat or missing. Check that every alarm is working by testing it. You should test your alarms every month. Why not set a calendar reminder to make testing your smoke alarm part of your household routine? Don’t forget your carbon monoxide alarms too.

Make sure it is in the right place

You should have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, and a carbon monoxide alarm in every room where fuel is burned (this includes gas cookers, open fires, and log burners).

Smoke alarms should not be placed in a kitchen. If you’d like fire detection in the kitchen, you can use a heat alarm.

Read our tips for choosing, installing, and maintaining smoke alarms

Do you know what to do if your smoke alarm activates accidentally? Read our troubleshooting tips.

2. Make a fire-safe kitchen

Fires caused by cooking are the leading cause of false alarms. Support your loved one to reduce their risk by reviewing these fire safe behaviours:

Keep things clean - a build-up of fat and grease can catch fire. Keep the oven, hob and grill clean.
Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.
Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing - especially loose sleeves. Roll sleeves up, or maybe even change your top to be extra safe.
Never leave cooking unattended. Use a cooking timer to help with this.
Double-check everything is off when you’ve finished cooking.
Place your toaster well away from curtains or blinds, and anything else flammable such as kitchen rolls. Always pull your toaster out from under overhanging cupboards to use, and empty out crumbs regularly.
Avoid cooking if you are very tired, have been drinking alcohol, or are taking medication that can make you drowsy.

Do they use a microwave, fry food or use a deep-fat fryer? If so, read our kitchen safety advice.

Read our kitchen safety advice