Fires can start when you least expect it, often during the night and they spread very rapidly. But the real killer is smoke. If you are asleep when a fire starts and you do not have a smoke alarm to wake you, your chances of survival are greatly reduced. Smoke suffocates quickly, and you could be dead before the flames reach you.
A SMOKE ALARM COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
It is an early warning system which warns you almost as soon as a fire starts, giving you time to alert everybody and escape.
Modern smoke alarms are not expensive. They are easy to install and look after. If you do not have a smoke alarm in your home you are putting your own life at risk, as well as the life of anyone who lives with you. Please do not put off getting one any longer.
Recognise the risk
Buy a smoke alarm, buy vital time
What is the risk of a fire starting in your home? Not great, you may think, if your are in the habit of taking sensible precautions.
But fires do happen, however careful you are. The sooner you know there is a fire, the quicker you, and everybody who lives with you, can escape and call the fire service.
Having at least one smoke alarm in your home should be as automatic as having a lock on your front door. So if you don't have smoke alarms already, fit them now - before it is too late.
You're at greater risk if you:
* Smoke cigarettes, cigars or a pipe
* Cook food in oil at high temperatures, eg. chips
* Have electrical appliances
* Use candles
Did you know?
* Half of the deaths in home fires happen between 10pm and 8am
* A quarter of all people who die in home fires are asleep at the time
* On average 270 of the people who die in fires each year don't have a smoke alarm
* Over the last five years, more than 70 people have been killed every year because their smoke alarms did not work - usually because the battery was flat or missing
About smoke alarms
A smoke alarm is a warning device that detects a fire when it is just started. If a fire starts somewhere in your home, your alarm will sound a piercing alarm to warn you, giving you time to escape. he noise should wake you up even if you are sound asleep.
Where can I buy an alarm?
You can buy smoke alarms from DIY stores, hardware and electrical shops and from many supermarkets and convenience stores.
How much does a smoke alarm cost?
A basic, battery-operated smoke alarm can cost as little as £3.99 - the price of a magazine or a hamburger. Smoke alarms with more features (see the at-a-glance guide) can cost up to £25.
Choosing an alarm
There are two main types of smoke alarms:
Ionisation alarms are the cheapest and easiest to get hold of. They are very sensitive to ‘flaming' fires, such as chip-pan fires, and will detect this type of fire before the smoke gets too thick.
Optical alarms are more expensive. They are more effective at detecting slow-burning fires, such as smouldering foam-filled furniture and overheated electrical wiring. Optical alarms are less likely to go off accidentally, and are best for ground-floor hallways, and for homes on one level.
Because both slow-burning and ‘flaming' fires are common, having one ionisation alarm and one optical alarm would provide the best protection. However, it is still safer to have one smoke alarm only, than no alarm at all.
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