free smoke alarm? Help

jeffy22

How do i go about getting a free smoke alarm (fitted) for my mother (shes 59) but has had a serious operation so is not mobile
I heard something about the fire service but who would i ring?

margaretclare

Your mother's local fire station will be delighted to help. The Fire Prevention Officer, but anyone at the fire station will know.

Not only installing a smoke alarm, but testing it regularly to ensure the battery is still working. We have no need to worry about ours - it goes off every time we grill sausages, so we know it works.

Everyone should have a smoke alarm whatever your age or mobility.

seven-day-weekend

We have a smoke alarm on every floor in both our UK and Spanish houses (both of them three-storey plus the UK one has a cellar).

The Fire Brigade will provide them and they have ten-year batteries, but I don't know whether they fit them tbh, but worth asking. We just went into the local Fire Station to ask about something else and they gave us three free smoke alarms!

We also have CO (Carbon Monoxide) alarms in each house; well worth it if you have any gas appliances and/or a solid fuel fire or stove.

You can't be too careful imho.

See a full range here>

www.safelincs.co.uk

tich2

Hiya, the local fire station will give your mothers property a fire safety inspection for free and fit up to two free 10yr fire alarms if needed. They will also advise on anything else they consider to be a hazard.

HappyMJ

I concur...I've had one of those Home Fire Safety checks took about half an hour. They (two fire officers) came in the fire truck took a battery off the truck and put it in my smoke alarm. Bit of an overkill but hey got lots of advice at the same time.

My question -- How do you get down from upstairs when there is a fire preventing you from going downstairs?

The answer -- You go out the window, if it's locked you break it here and here, hold onto to frame and lower yourself down. Don't stand on the ledge and jump. You'll break your legs!!!

Well thankyou.

seven-day-weekend

HappyMJ wrote: »

I concur...I've had one of those Home Fire Safety checks took about half an hour. They (two fire officers) came in the fire truck took a battery off the truck and put it in my smoke alarm. Bit of an overkill but hey got lots of advice at the same time.

My question -- How do you get down from upstairs when there is a fire preventing you from going downstairs?

The answer -- You go out the window, if it's locked you break it here and here, hold onto to frame and lower yourself down. Don't stand on the ledge and jump. You'll break your legs!!!

Well thankyou.

You could even throw a mattress out first for a soft landing if the window will open enough.

My UK house has one upstairs window that opens onto a flat roof, another that opens wide enough to throw a mattress out, the attic room has a specialist fire escape ladder specially made for velux windows that you hook round the window frame , it then goes down the roof and down to the ground (the fire brigade advised me on that).

My Spanish house has a door to the outside on each floor which leads either onto a balcony that you could jump from or a terrace with access to next door, so no problems there.

I really think that many people do not consider fire escape routes and I believe it is really important to do so.

Errata

One of the things a Home Fire Safety Officer will discuss is evacutaion when there's a fire and will help people to draw up a plan so everyone in the household knows what to do.

[Deleted User]

I had two smoke alarms fitted by my local Kent Fire Service for free 4 years ago and was told they were o.k. for 10 years.
The day after Boxing day I cam home to find the upstairs one beeping as the battery had run flat. I phoned the fire brigade and told the lady on the switchboard what had happened, and even standing on a chair at the top of my stairs ( not the best idea when you have wonky arthritic joints as I have ) with a hammer I couldn't get the cover off as it was a sealed unit.She said 'Go downstairs and put the kettle on I'll have some out to see you very shortly .Within 15 minutes there was and enormous fire appliance and three equally large firemen on my doorstep with two new fire alarms which they replaced my old ones with .They were great guys, and I gave them some tea and lots of chocolate to take back to the station with when they finished .The chap said on NO account try to stop the noise, or mess with the alarms ,but just ring and they are quite happy to come out straight away. Terrific service and it certainly made my neighbours curtains twitch to see these strapping lads entering my house:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Edinburghlass_2

mmm three large firemen...

goes to find phone number for local fire brigade

elmer

You might even get 4 if you're lucky from L & B , but send mine home when you're finished with him please!

Elmer x

jjrtim

Simple...

Click here https://www.fire.gov.uk/Home+safety/IsYourHomeSafe/HomeVisit.htm

Fill in your details and hey presto your local fire service will contact you and arrange a free inspection and smoke alarms.