Fire safety advice
It's important that you know how to reduce the chances of a fire starting in your home and keep yourself, your family and your property safe from fire.
Most fires in the home are caused by things many of us might do:
- smoking
- leaving food in an oven or on a stove while doing something else
- using candles
- storing large amounts of flammable material
- leaving faulty electrical appliances on
- having too many things plugged into electrical sockets
The London Fire Brigade website has a lot of practical guidance to help reduce the risk of a fire breaking out in your home.
Get a smoke alarm
Smoke alarms detect fires early and could save your life. Make sure yours is working.
The London Fire Brigade recommend you test your smoke alarms once a month by holding the button on the alarm for up to 5 seconds.
If your alarm is not working or you do not have one, contact us.
Vulnerabilities
It is important that we know which residents need help in the event of an emergency.
If there are changes in your health or mobility that could prevent you from evacuating, let us know if you need evacuation help as soon as possible.
We will assess any extra measures that we can take to make sure you have the right equipment in your home to alert you if there is a fire.
Each high-rise block has a secure box with information for firefighters, including a list of homes where someone might need help to evacuate.
Hoarding
Hoarding is a serious fire risk.
Hoarded materials can easily catch fire if they come into contact with heat sources like:
- overloaded extension leads
- the kitchen hob
- naked flames from candles or cigarettes
Hoarding puts people at risk, because fires spread much faster.
If you or someone you know is at risk due to hoarding, contact your neighborhood housing officer for support and advice.