Fire Safety

FIRE SAFETY IN THE HOME - ESPECIALLY FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED PEOPLE.

Bedtime Routine

Many fires in the home start at night. Make sure you have a bedtime safety routine to help keep you and your family safe. Here are a few simple things which you should do every night:

• Unplug all electrical appliances not designed to stay on. There are specially designed plugs available, which can be very easily inserted and removed.

• Make sure no cigarettes are still burning.

• Before emptying ashtrays make sure the contents are cold.

• Put a guard round open fires. • Switch off portable heaters.

• Close the doors of unoccupied rooms.

Smoke Alarms

Many people whose hearing is not severely impaired are still able to hear a conventional smoke alarm. It is a good idea to link two or more alarms. This way smoke detected in the living room will set off another alarm in the bedroom. An electrician will be able to advise you about linking the alarms.

For people who would not be able to hear a conventional smoke alarm there are special devices available which make use of a vibrating pad or flashing light instead of the auditory signal. The vibrating pad alarms are particularly useful for deaf-blind people.

A handy name and address is:

Deaf Society (Aberdeen & Northeast), 13 Smithfield Road, Hilton, Aberdeen.

Telephone: 494566.

When did you last check the battery in your smoke detector? According to the Fire Brigade, many fires have got out of hand - and lives lost - because the battery is not working or has been taken out. Batteries should be replaced every year and to make sure you remember this, why not chose a date that is important to you? This could be an anniversary or a birthday.

Please do not put your own life at risk (and those of your family, friends and neighbours) when a battery can be bought for approx £3.