Just two to three breaths of toxic smoke and you're
unconscious.
Toxic smoke will affect your ability to breathe, a
sensation similar to drowning.
Drowning in the smoke of a house fire is the risk you take if
you do not have a working smoke alarm.
Watch the new Fire Kills campaign
advert on YouTube to find out more about the effects of toxic
smoke.
In 2007 there were almost 35,000 accidental house fires in England
– resulting in 200 deaths. There were 7,100 injuries – 19 a day.
Testing your smoke alarm every week could make the difference in
protecting your homes and your loved ones.
People vastly underestimate the impact of toxic
smoke.
How long do you think you could survive in a smoke
filled room?
In a Fire Kills survey (2009)
almost half (43 percent) believed they could survive for more than
two minutes in a smoke filled room. Unfortunately this is
unlikely, toxic smoke can kill a child in under a
minute.
Do you believe that if you had a fire you would be
alerted by the smell of smoke? Nearly half of those
surveyed (48 percent) thought they would be, when in actual fact
the gases and smoke from a fire can numb the senses and put
you into a deeper sleep.
Do you think a family pet (for example a dog barking) or
another person would alert you? Almost a fifth of those
surveyed (18 percent) believed this, but the only thing
you should rely on is a working smoke alarm.
The only way to buy vital time to escape from a house fire is
by having a working smoke alarm. Although 90 percent of
those surveyed owned smoke alarms, 70 percent admited to not
testing them every week. This is despite the fact that you are more
than twice as likely to die in an accidental house fire if you do
not have a working smoke alarm.
There are five key things that you can do to protect
your home and family from fire:
Fit a smoke alarm on each level of the
property. When a fire starts, there is little time to
escape so an early warning is vital. Battery operated smoke alarm
units should be replaced after 10 years. Or consider installing a
mains powered alarm.
Test alarms weekly - a smoke alarm can buy
valuable time, if it's working.
Plan your escape route - make sure you and
your family know the quickest way out in the event of fire.
Consider an alternative route in case your usual one is
blocked.
Stay safe in the kitchen. This is the area
where most house fires start. It only takes a minute to check
electrical appliances are switched off. And never leave cooking
unattended.
Ask the experts. Avon Fire & Rescue
Service (AF&RS) offers free safety advice at its Community Safety
Centres, via this website (Your
Safety section) or if you are a more at-risk member
of our community (such as an elderly person or a single parent
family) book a free Home Fire Safety
Visit.
If a fire does break out in the home, then Get out, Stay
out and Call 999.
Supporting the new Fire Kills campaign, Fire
Minister Shahid Malik said:
"House fires can begin in a range of ways but they do not have
to be fatal. Planning and preparing for the unexpected is key. Take
immediate action by getting a smoke alarm, testing it weekly and
planning an escape route in the event of a fire. You can get a free
home fire risk check from your local Fire and Rescue Service. These
simple steps could save lives."
Actress Jill Halfpenny is championing the campaign. She
said:
"As a mum I am very conscious of trying to keep my home as safe
as possible to reduce the risks from fire, which is why I am
supporting this important Fire Kills campaign. The fact is that
fires can and do happen, so it's important to check your smoke
alarm weekly and to be aware of the dangers. Ignorance is
definitely not bliss when it comes to keeping your family
safe."
For more information about fire safety, take a look at
the 'Your Safety' area of this
website, or the Government website 'Fire Kills'
at www.direct.gov.uk/firekills