Free smoke alarms and safety check

ailuro2

pigpen wrote: »

the fire chappies fitted smoke alarms in ALL the bedrooms with high sleeper/bunk beds... the occupants of these beds usually succumb to smoke fumes very quickly as they are closer to the ceiling where the smoke accumulates.

thanks for this, I'm thinking of getting a high sleeper bed for DD and would never have thought of this.

Poundland normally have a range of hammers in their tool section - I might see if they have any with pointed heads on them next time I'm down (aka welders' chipping hammers) as although we have side opening windows, the openings would be a bit difficult for me to squeeze through, no longer being a size 12:o The middle section would definitely be easier to climb through.

We do have a fire escape route for upstairs... it's out the spare room onto the kitchen extension then across to the garage and along the garage to the shed where it is raised so no need to jump from any height. DD's room is at the front so if the her door was blocked she would go out onto the little roof below her window then drop onto the grass from there.

I do talk to her about it now and again, as you never know what's round the corner....

kingfisherblue

ailuro2, I also have escape routes planned, just in case. At the Brownie unit I run, I have two different routes planned. I'm not obsessive, altohugh it sounds as though I am. I'm just careful.

I've also discussed the escape routes with my daughter. She's the only other adult in he house, and at Brownies, she is my assistant guider. My younger son knows the escape route and what to do in case of fire as well - not just my influence, but also information from Cubs.

Let's hope we never need any of this.

LilacPixie

Tayside fire brigade are out and about alot at the moment trying to get people to take them up on the offer of free saftey checks. I seem to see them at the local garden centre. They are stressing that even if you already have smoke alarms that you feel are adequate let them come out and check. If they are ok great you only get advice on fire saftey and escape routes if not ok or not enough of them they will provide and fit replacments/additions then provide the fire saftey stuff.

I would urge everyone to have a check,

savingmummy

Last night we were woken by a house fire http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/efnews/8334204.LOUGHTON__Two_households_homeless_after_fire_guts_house/
Luckily the gentleman was woken by his dog (NO ALARMS!) and managed to get out before the whole house went up!!!
If his dog hadnt of been such a hero who knows if his life would of been lost.

This is a fantastic service and i think every house should have alarms and also a plan of action in the event of a fire at home!

I have a major fire phobia and am certainly getting an appointment for a fireman to visit my new home to give advice. We already have 3 alarms over the house and a small extinguisher and a fire blanket in the kitchen.
Looking for the rope ladders now to be on the safe side.

VK-2008

no one is rippingthe p for asking fire brigade to come round

at end of day if it saves one life its worth it

think about it they know where smoke detectors should go, what position etc

i mean i am young and some may say capable of installing one myself, but i didnt i got my dad to come and do it dor me, i got one of those ones that beep as well as talk to you it tells you about carbon monoxide as well which is very beneficial

MaryB2

Fully approve of this effort by fire brigade but its a pity they don't buy from reputable makers See bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-11930332

another great initiative ruined by penny pinching.

MB

Tropez

MaryB2 wrote: »

Fully approve of this effort by fire brigade but its a pity they don't buy from reputable makers See bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-11930332

another great initiative ruined by penny pinching.

MB

To be fair Dicon, or BRK as they are also known as, are one of the largest companies in the world in providing smoke alarms and are part of one of the most reputable groups in the industry (Sprue Safety Products).

The issue with the high failure-rate is probably more attributable to simple things such as smoke alarms in kitchens going off when people have a fry up and forgetting to turn on the ventilator or burnt toast setting the alarm off.

The alarms that are fitted by the Fire Service are the type built with early-warning systems which detect the emergence of smoke into a room before the fire actually breaks out, which is proven to signifcantly reduce mortality rates, particularly in infants and babies who are more susceptible to the negatives of smoke inhalation. The unfortunate side of this is that the alarm can be, as the article stated, falsely triggered by smoke in the kitchen, or smoking a cigarette directly under the alarm and as the alarms are intended to be replaced after a fire, they use up the battery quite quickly to alert the occupants of the immediate danger. It's like putting a laptop in sleep and some will have battery power more than 24 hours later, but run the laptop off its battery for just over 2 hours and it will run out, it's the same principle. The alarm is supposed to remain in a sort of standby state until it detects a fire then it blows its battery load trying to save people's lives.