28 September 2020
Jersey Fire and Rescue Service (JFRS) is supporting Home Safety Week 2020, a national campaign led by the National Fire Chiefs Council, from 28 – 4 October.
The campaign aims to encourage islanders to protect themselves and their homes in three stages; alarms, behaviour and plan.
Alarms
Islanders should make sure they have an alarm on each level of their home in case of a fire or carbon monoxide incident, with the services giving the following advice:
- install at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and also in the rooms you use most
- carbon monoxide alarms should be installed in all rooms where there is any fuel burning appliance
- test all alarms once a month to make sure they work
- ensure all appliances are installed and maintained correctly by registered and suitably qualified tradespeople
- alarms don't last forever, replace the battery every year and if there a sealed alarm, every 10 years;
- if you can, interlink alarms.
Behaviour
Keen to encourage the safest behaviour in the home to prevent a fire, the service shares the following advice for cooking:
- avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob. Keep matches and saucepan handles out of their reach to keep them safe
- make sure saucepan handles don’t stick out – so they don’t get knocked off the stove
- take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – this can easily catch fire.
- keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob
- double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking;
- take care if you need to leave the kitchen whilst cooking, take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk.
Plan
JFRS is also keen to remind islanders that having a prepared escape plan should also be a priority, and that everyone in the household should be aware of the plan to reduce panic and time spent trying to co-ordinate the escape, should it ever be needed.
The advice given to prepare an effective escape plan is:
- make sure all exits are kept clear
- the best route is the normal way in and out of your home
- think of a second route in case the first one is blocked
- take a few minutes to practise your escape plan
- keep door and window keys where everyone can find them;
- review your plan if the layout of your home changes.
Craig Channing, Watch Commander, said: "Home Safety Week is always an important campaign for JFRS to support, but especially in the current climate where islanders are likely to spend more time at home, we are keen to remind them of how to stay as safe as possible.
"Our advice forms three parts: protect yourself by having alarms fitted across your property, practice safe habits around potential hazards like cooking, and have an escape plan sorted for worst case scenarios."
gov.je