For most of us, our home is our biggest investment and our family is the centre of our life. Take the time to keep both safe from fire.

Common causes of fire

The most common causes of fire in homes in the UK are:

• badly wired electrical systems, especially common in older dwellings. Trying to save money, homeowners attempt to do the work themselves or hire odd-job men who do cut-price work. Penny-pinching could be the worst choice you ever made.

• smoking in bed, not disposing of cigarette butts properly. Though the numbers of smokers in the UK are dwindling, the problem is still a major cause of fires.

• portable heaters in awkward locations. These are easy to bump into and knock over. Also, if placed too close to furniture or a wall, they can easily overheat.

• refuse and rubbish placed too close to a garage, shed, fence or the house. A fire can spontaneously start deep in the pile, from refuse gradually getting hotter and finally causing flames. This can easily spread to nearby buildings.

• appliances left on. This is especially pertinent in the kitchen. If the stove isn’t properly turned off, it can start a fire long after the meal is prepared and the family is in bed.

Protect your family from fire - Reduce the risk

A few precautions can dramatically reduce the chance of fire in your home.

• have your electrical system checked by a professional electrician? Fix problems as soon as they occur. This isn’t an expense, it is an investment in your home and your life.

• don’t smoke. If you do, use ashtrays and common sense. Do not leave a cigarette unattended!

• keep heaters well away from other furnishings. And keep them out of common pathways through the home.

• get rid of junk. Don’t let it accumulate inside or out, danger lurks within.

• check each night before bed that every appliance is properly turned off.

Smoke alarms

If you are consistent with these actions, you will reduce the chance of fire substantially. But it isn’t eliminated. There is always the possibility that something will go wrong, something you can’t detect, something you can’t plan for.

This is where fire security systems come into their own. Your first line of defence, of course, is the simple, battery-operated smoke alarm, although a wired one is better. If you doubt their effectiveness, read on:

• Ask the mother and her two children in a terraced home that had been converted to flats in London. The smoke alarm gave them time to rush out of the house. Though suffering from smoke inhalation, they were alive, thanks to the smoke alarm.

• Or the family in Beverley, Yorkshire. Mother, father and three children made it out successfully in the wee hours of a Sunday morning. The fire started in the fire pit after a day of outside entertaining.

The simple act of testing your home’s smoke alarm once a year can and does save lives. While a smoke alarm can save the day, it is the very lowest level of protection you should consider.

Fire security alarms

Is there more you can do? Yes, installing a fire security alarm system improves your chances for quick detection, even when you’re out. The advantages they offer include:

• they can detect fires early, before the conflagration takes over. This gives you and your family the extra precious minutes and seconds to get out. This can be critical because when a fire catches, it spreads in seconds.

• they can be wired to the local fire station, which is alerted immediately, saving time.

• they automatically tell the responders in which zone of the home the fire started. This helps them direct their efforts most efficiently and quickly.

• they provide a very loud alarm that alerts everyone close by. Neighbours will be alerted as the alarm can be heard over loud music and even snoring!

This means that even if you’re out a keyholder will be informed of where the alarm was triggered, such as the hall or the kitchen. This allows that person to deal with the situation, perhaps call a neighbour to turn off the grill that was left on!

The moral of the story is to take control, protect yourself and your home from fire. Take precautions, use common sense and make good use of the modern fire alarm systems available.

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