Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is supporting this month’s Fire Kills smoke alarm testing campaign, urging households across the County to test the smoke alarms in their houses regularly.
Statistics show that only 26 percent of all households who own a smoke alarm test them regularly and in the year ending March 2020, there were 199 fire-related deaths in the home.
Testing smoking alarms
By supporting the Fire Skills smoke alarm testing campaign, RBFRS hopes to encourage everyone to test their smoke alarms more regularly and, ultimately, prevent more deaths.
Gail Muirhead, West Hub Prevention Manager, said, “I’d encourage our residents to make sure they get into the habit of testing their smoke alarms regularly as they can save you and your loved ones’ lives. In the event of a fire, working smoke alarms will give you the valuable time to get out, stay out and call 999.”
Tips to follow
- Test the batteries in the smoke alarm once a week, even if they’re wired into the mains
- Test the smoke alarms of those who are unable to test their own
- Make sure you fit at least one smoke alarm on every level of the home
- Never remove the batteries from the smoke alarms unless replacing them
- Check which type of smoke alarm the user has and replace it when needed - this could be every 10 years or even every year
- Gently vacuum over the slots of the smoke alarms to remove dust twice a year
- Plan and practice an escape route and make sure that everyone in the home knows it
- In the event of a fire, get out, stay out and call 999
- People who are moving house or are moving to university in October are advised to contact their housing provider to ensure that that the correct safety measures are in place
