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Be prepared in the event of a fire 30 January 2012

Preparing and practising a plan of action will help you act quickly if there's a fire in your home.

You are more than twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you haven't got a working smoke alarm.

A smoke alarm is the easiest way to alert you to the danger of fire, giving you time to escape.

They are cheap, easy to get hold of and easy to fit. Make sure you test it weekly - it could save your life.

Make an escape plan:

Make an escape plan, explain it to everyone in the household and practise it

When you make an escape plan, involve everyone who lives in your home, including children, older or disabled people and any lodgers.

Choosing an escape route:

Here are some tips to help plan your escape from fire:

• the best escape route is often the normal way in and out of your home
• think of any difficulties you may have getting out, e.g. at night you may need to have a torch to light your way
• choose a second escape route, in case the first one is blocked
• keep all exits clear of obstructions, like bicycles
• if there are children, older or disabled people or pets, plan how you will get them out

Think about a safe place to go if you can't escape:

The first priority is to keep people safe by getting them out of the building. If you can't escape, you'll need to find a room to take refuge in.

This is especially important if you have difficulty moving around or going downstairs on your own.

If you can't get out, get everyone into one room:

• choose a room with a window
• if you can put cushions, towels or bedding at the bottom of the door to block smoke
• open the window and call for help
• think about which room might be best for this - you need a window that can be opened and, if possible, a phone for calling 999

Make sure everyone knows where door and window keys are kept:

Decide where the keys to doors and windows should be kept and always keep them there. Make sure everyone in your household knows where they are.

Explain the plan:

Once you have made your plan, go through it with everyone in the household.

You could also:

• put a reminder of what to do in a fire somewhere where it will be seen regularly, like on the fridge door
• put your address by the phone so that children can read it out to the emergency services

Practise the plan:

Make sure you have 'walked through' the plan with everyone in your household. Regularly remind everyone of what to do, and what not to do, in the event of a fire.

See What to do if there is a fire' for more information about escaping from a fire.

Do a bedtime check - develop the habit:

When you are asleep, it takes longer to notice the signs of a fire. If you don't have a working smoke alarm, there will be nothing to wake you.

To help prevent fires occurring through the night, it's important to check your home for fire hazards before you go to bed. Make sure you:

• check the cooker is turned off
• turn off and unplug electrical appliances (unless they are meant to be left on, like your freezer)
• put candles and cigarettes out properly
• turn heaters off and put up fireguards
• make sure exits are kept clear
• close inside doors at night to stop a fire from spreading

Keep your guests safe from fire:

Your family or housemates may be familiar with your house or flat, but your guests may not be. If you have guests staying overnight:

• tell them where the keys are kept
• give them information about anything in the house they may not be familiar with, like how to unlock your front door

It's particularly important to provide some fire safety information if you are hosting a party and people are drinking alcohol.

Also, the risk of fire during celebrations may be higher from candles, cooking and cigarettes.

Escaping from a high-rise building:

Living above the first floor doesn't necessarily make you any more at risk from fire.

High-rise flats are built to be fire-proof - walls, ceilings and doors will hold back flames and smoke.

Most of your planning should be the same as homes at ground level, but there are some key differences:

• you won't be able to use the lift if there's a fire, so choose an escape route that takes this into account
• count how many doors there are on the route to get to the stairs when you can't use the lift, in case you can't find your way
• make sure stairways and fire escapes are kept clear of all obstructions and that fire doors are never locked
• regularly check that you can open the doors to stairways or escapes from both sides

If there's a fire elsewhere in the building, you are usually safest in your own flat, unless heat or smoke is affecting you.

If you are affected, you should get out, stay out and call 999.

What to do if there's a fire:

If there's a fire, you need to act quickly. Make sure you are prepared and that everyone in your house knows exactly what to do.

Alert everyone:

Make sure everyone in the house knows about the fire - shout and get everyone together.

Get everyone out:

You should have an escape route planned that everyone in your house is familiar with. If you don't have one already, see 'Planning a safe escape' for information on how to make an escape plan for your home. As you escape, remember:

• don't delay to save valuables or look for pets
• don't investigate the fire
• crawl on the floor if there's smoke - the air is cleaner near the floor
• on the floor, put your nose as low as possible - remember, smoke is toxic and can kill you
• as you go out, only open the doors you need to and close any open doors you can to slow the spread of the fire
• feel doors with the back of your hand before you open them, if they're warm, don't open them - the fire is on the other side
• if you're escaping with others, stay together if you can

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