Hundreds of firefighters are gearing up to hit the streets and visit residents at home, in a bid to cut the number of fires happening across the county. 

On 23 and 25 May, crews and colleagues from every team in Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) will be out door knocking and offering free home fire safety visits, to help keep people safe and prevent fires from starting in the first place.

With less than a week to go, the fire service is highlighting what residents can expect from the free service:

Firefighters knocking at your door will:

• be wearing KFRS uniform
• have KFRS photo ID 
• have a fire engine or marked KFRS vehicle parked nearby 
• only enter your property with your permission
• never ask for money or bank details – it’s a free service 

Anyone wishing to double check the validity of ID can call 0800 923 7000. 

During the visit, firefighters will:

• test smoke alarms
• fit new ones or relocate existing ones if necessary 
• provide safety advice tailored to your home 

Steve and Barb Welch, from Broadstairs, were happy with the service after initially wondering if it was legitimate, having not heard of the visits before.

Steve said: “We got a leaflet through the door and at first my wife and I thought it might be a scam. We called KFRS to check, and we were reassured that it was part of the door knocking service. 

“The firefighters were back within 15 minutes and were really helpful. They checked our smoke alarms, installed a new one at the top of the stairs, and talked through all our possible escape routes in the event of a fire.

“I was grateful and reassured by the visit, and I’ve since been telling others about the great service.”

KFRS Chief Executive Ann Millington said: “We carry out free home fire safety visits all year round, but on a few select days a year we embark on our Fight Against Fire mission, to visit as many homes across Kent and Medway as possible in one day – or in this case two days, on 23 and 25 May. 

“While we’ll always be ready to respond to emergencies, we would much prefer people stay safe and reduce the chance of having a fire at all – so this is all about prevention and protecting our communities. 

“We’re asking everyone to help spread the word about our visits, so more people are aware of the free service if we knock on the door. Our crews will always wear uniform and have ID, to provide full confidence that they're genuine.”