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F I R E S A F E T Y

Fire safetyin your home

F I R E S A F E T Y

FIRE SAFETY IN YOUR HOMEYour safety is our top priority. This booklet provides information about what you can do to reduce the risk of fire in your building and what to do if there is a fire.

INSTALL A SMOKE ALARM

A working smoke alarm provides an early warning and extra time to escape if there is a fire, and could save your life. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) offers free fire safety visits and smoke alarms at:

london-fire.gov.uk/SmokeAlarms.aspIf you are a tenant and have a smoke alarm which doesn’t work, please report it to us.

You can also buy a smoke alarm for around £10 from most supermarkets, DIY stores and electrical equipment shops. The LFB advises you to have a smoke alarm in every room or, at a minimum, in your hallway and in the rooms you use most of the time.

Remember to test alarms regularly to ensure they work properly, and maintain them in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. Regularly vacuuming

your smoke alarm will remove dust and dirt that can stop it from working.

Please offer to help your neighbours who may be unable to test their own smoke alarms.

PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES

Keep to one plug per socket

> Make sure electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark when you buy them.

> Try and keep to one plug per socket, especially for high powered appliances like washing machines.

> Electrical leads should not be run under carpets as any damage will go unseen.

> Unplugging appliances when you are not using them or when you go to bed at night will help to reduce the risk of fire.

> Don’t leave your mobile phone charging overnight, especially on your bed or under your pillow. Batteries can overheat and catch fire.

> Maintain tumble dryers by regularly removing the build-up of fluff.

> If you use a portable heater, use an oil filled one instead of a halogen, bar or convector heater. Always keep heaters well away from clothes, curtains and furniture.

F I R E S A F E T Y

FIRE SAFETY IN THE KITCHENMost fires start in the kitchen. Here are some steps you can take to make sure that your kitchen is fire safe.

> A major cause of fire is the build-up of fat and oil in pans, as it can easily ignite when heated. Clean your pans regularly.

> Never use water on an oil pan fire. Water reacts with the oil and will cause a fire ball.

> If a pan catches fire do not attempt to move it. Turn off the heat only if it is safe to do so.

> Do not leave cooking unattended. Take pans off the heat or turn the heat down if you’re called away from the cooker.

> Don’t start cooking if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol.

> Keep things that can catch fire away from the cooking area.

SMOKINGSmoking causes more deaths by fire than anything else.

Make sure you put cigarettes out fully and dispose of them correctly – don’t throw them on the floor or out of the window! A discarded cigarette can cause a fire.

> Never smoke in bed. > Take extra care when smoking if you have been drinking alcohol, taking medication or other drugs.

> Use a proper heavy ashtray that won’t tip over easily. > Do not empty the ashtray into a bin as this can catch fire. A drop of water in the ashtray will help make it safer.

> Keep matches, lighters and smoking materials out of children’s sight and reach.

KEEP FIRE DOORS CLOSEDSome doors in and around the home are fire resistant. They are made of material that is heat

resistant and make your home safer by slowing the spread of fire. Tenants must not replace or alter their front door without our permission as this could reduce the fire protection to your home.

Please ensure fire doors are kept closed at all times.

Some doors are fitted with self-closers to ensure they remain shut. Do not wedge fire doors open or remove the self-closing device as this could allow a fire to spread and potentially block neighbours’ escape routes.

If you’re a leaseholder you are responsible for the doors to your home and you must comply with fire regulations. We will ask you to replace your door if it does not comply. If you are interested in having a fire resistant door, please contact us:

homeownership@lewishamhomes.org.uk

CAN I INSTALL A SECURITY GRILLE?No. Security grilles across doors and windows can prevent you from escaping if there’s a fire. They also delay the fire service from getting in to rescue you. On advice from LFB, we will remove any grilles in the buildings that we manage that could be dangerous in an emergency. We have a programme to remove security grilles and to install secure-by-design, fire-proof doors.

RUBBISH: REMOVE AND REPORT IT!Last year there were over 8,000 fires in London caused by rubbish. They start easily, and a large number of them are deliberate. Dumped furniture, car tyres, scraps of wood, old mattresses and cardboard boxes don’t just look bad but are also potential fire hazards and a target for arsonists.

> Keep rubbish away from buildings, doors and windows.

> Keep exits and escape routes clear of rubbish.

F I R E S A F E T Y

For information about waste and recycling services:

lewisham.gov.ukReport flytipping:

lovelewisham.org

KEEP SHARED AREAS CLEAR

Items left in shared areas or corridors can act as fuel for a fire and are a fire hazard as they can prevent people escaping. Please don’t leave anything, like bikes and buggies, in corridors or communal areas.

We regularly check shared areas and may remove items when there is a safety risk.

If you see anything obstructing a shared area, please report it to your caretaker or call our Freephone number:

0800 028 2 028Can I keep my mobility scooter in a shared area?

No. Mobility scooters must not be stored or left to charge in shared areas. They create an increased fire risk and could catch alight. When on fire, scooters can release large amounts of highly toxic smoke and gases. They can also block escape routes. If you need further advice on where to store a mobility scooter, please contact us.

KEEP BALCONIES CLEARIf you have a balcony, don’t use it as a place to store things – especially anything that can catch alight. This is a fire hazard as it can cause fire to spread easily.

Contact Lewisham Council to arrange for collection of large items

Put general rubbish into the chutes and keep rubbish away from escape routes

Put recycling in collection bins or out on collection day

Take special care with candles and incense burners. Always use holders and keep them well away from curtains and fabrics.

F I R E S A F E T Y

KITC

HEN

BATH

ROOM

BEDROOMLOUNGE

EXIT

Being prepared for a fire can save lives. With everyone in your household:

> Plan what you would do if there was a fire in your home.

> Agree your escape route out of the building.

> Make sure you all know where the keys to the front door and windows are kept.

> Learn how to navigate the stairs in darkness so you could do the same in thick smoke.

> Keep your escape route clear of obstacles.

MAKE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE

EXAM

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If the fire is elsewhere inside the building, or outside of your home, the LFB advises you to stay inside. You are usually safer in your home unless heat or smoke is affecting you. Close your windows and front door, and put bedding or any soft materials around the bottom to block the smoke coming through underneath.

Fire outside your home

Call the emergency services as soon as it is safe to do so. Do not try to tackle the fire yourself, as it could put yourself and others in danger. The sooner you call 999, the sooner the fire brigade will be sent to deal with the fire.

Call 999

If there is a lot of smoke, stay low. Crawl along the floor where there is less smoke and the air will be cleaner. Smoke

If the fire is inside your home, get out and stay out. Do not waste time rescuing valuables. Try to stay calm, and if you can, close the doors to rooms to prevent smoke and fire spreading. If you live in a block, close your front door to prevent smoke and fire spreading into the corridor or stairwell. Alert your neighbours and do not return to your home until the fire brigade tells you it is safe to do so.

Fire inside your home

Use the stairs. If you live in a block, make your way out using the emergency exit staircase. During fires, lifts are dangerous because you may become trapped inside.

Do notuse lifts