Is your home as safe as it can be?

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service is supporting Home Safety Week, running from 1 – 7 October, and encouraging residents to ensure they and their loved ones have a Safe Home.

With over 34,000 accidental dwelling fires in the UK between 2016-17, it is important that you ensure you have working smoke alarms within your house. Our advice is to have at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and additional detectors should be placed in the rooms you use most as well as in halls and landings.

Alongside smoke alarms we recommend that you install carbon monoxide alarms within your property and heat alarms in your kitchen.

Paul Hedley, Chief Fire Officer at Northumberland Fire and Rescue said: “Making sure you and your loved ones have a Safe Home is of the utmost importance.

“You should install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms throughout your home, however, it’s not enough to simply have smoke alarms, you need to regularly check that they are working and replace them at least every 10 years.

“If you need advice in your home about which alarms to install and where, you can contact NFRS for advice on 0800 731 1351 or SWV.nfrs@northumberland.gov.uk.”

County Councillor John Riddle, Chair of Northumberland Fire Authority, added: “Working smoke alarms save lives and we recommend that you take the time to test yours. Could we ask that you also visit vulnerable neighbours and relatives to ensure they have working alarms within their homes.  If they don’t the Fire and Rescue Service can help”