Fire safety

Many household fires are easily avoidable. Following a few simple guidelines can mean the difference between life and death for you and your family.

1. Fit smoke alarms on each floor of your home, in rooms and communal areas such as hallways, and check regularly that they are working – most alarms have a test button, which makes it easy to see if the battery has run down.

2. Accidents while cooking account for over half of all household fires, so take extra care in the kitchen, particularly when cooking with hot oil, and don’t leave young children unsupervised.

3. Always extinguish candles before you leave the room. Candles should always be in secure holders situated well away from flammable materials.

4. A large proportion of household fires are caused by smoking materials, so if you smoke at home, ensure that all cigarettes, pipes and cigars are put out properly and disposed of sensibly. Never smoke in bed, and keep lighters and matches out of children’s sight and reach.

5. Get into the habit of closing doors at night – this will help to contain a fire if one breaks out.

6. Don't overload electrical sockets – stick to one plug, one socket.

7. Try to get in to the habit of unplugging electrical appliances when you aren’t using them, and avoid leaving TVs and DVD players on standby – this will also save you money on your electricity bill.

8. Open fires should have a secure fireguard fitted across them.

9. Make sure your child knows exactly what to do if they encounter a fire or smoke and can’t get to an escape route. This may mean phoning 911, testing doorknobs to see if they’re hot (which might indicate a fire on the other side), getting into a room which has no smoke, blocking the vents around the door so that no smoke can get in and calling for help out of the window.

10. Make sure they know that crawling in a smoke-filled room is safer because there is less smoke at ground level.

11. Show them what the best escape routes are (ensure these aren’t blocked by tricycles, strollers and other equipment that might cause tripping accidents if they’re hidden by smoke) and where to find any window or door keys if they need to unlock these to get out. They should also know where to meet you outside.

12. Explain to your child that if they see fire or smoke they need to raise the alarm and then get out of the house as quickly as possible. They mustn’t hide from the fire, and once outside they shouldn’t go back into the house to fetch anything, not even a pet.

13. Make sure babysitters or any family members who care for your child in your home are familiar with how to get out if there’s a fire.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, odorless and highly toxic gas that’s produced by faulty central heating systems, gas appliances and fires. It’s also produced by cars.

If it’s inhaled, it prevents the blood from carrying oxygen – thus leaving the body starved of oxygen. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can often be mistaken for those of a cold or virus, and include nausea, dizziness, headaches and coughs, and sometimes vomiting. In large amounts it can cause brain damage and even death.

It’s easy to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning by following a few simple guidelines. Check that all chimneys and flues are clear, and have all heating and gas appliances serviced regularly. Carbon monoxide detectors are available to buy in DIY and home stores and are easy to install in your home. Never run your car engine while it’s in the garage, and if you’re ever stuck in heavy snow and need to run the engine to keep you and your child warm, get out periodically to ensure the exhaust pipe isn’t blocked by drifting snow.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

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Last Modified: 02/08/2007

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