Helping tenants stay safe at home
Stay safe at home – especially when it comes to fire.
A free home fire safety visit will make sure you stay safe.
A fire officer will visit you and give you the best advice on protecting yourself and your home.
It’s quick, easy to set up and will give you the advice and reassurance you need.
Tenant Catherine Thurston, from Dumbreck, had a home fire safety visit earlier this year.
She’s urging as many tenants as possible to set one up.
Catherine said: “I’m very happy I got the visit. I used to work as a nurse and I’ve seen the effect of serious fires.
“It made me more aware of the risk of fire and how to avoid it. The advice – don’t overload plugs, check you have a plan of escape, keep your keys near the front door, close your doors at night – was excellent.
“I felt very reassured and definitely feel safer. Get the visit done and stay safe.”
Watch Manager Stephen Harkins, of Scottish Fire and Rescue, says they carry out around 100 fire safety visits every month to GHA homes – and he wants to do even more.
Stephen said: “A home fire safety visit gives tenants the chance to speak face-to-face to a fire officer and ask questions. That’s better than seeing an advert or reading a leaflet.
“You can discuss fire safety and get the best advice on preventing fire and what to do if there is a fire. It makes people more aware – and it’s more reassuring.
“Having a working smoke alarm is the most important thing. It’s also vital to check it at least once a week.”
Stephen said: “It’s important to take care of your neighbours too.” He added: “If you hear a smoke alarm going off, don’t just ignore it. Chap the door, look through the letterbox if you can’t see smoke.
“If you think there’s a fire in your neighbour’s home, phone 999 and get to a place of safety.
“If you have an older neighbour, ask if they need help. Offer to test their smoke alarm – they might not be able to reach it. That helps keep everyone safe.”
A home fire safety visit takes no more than half an hour. It can be set up for that same day – or within a couple of days.
Phone 0800 0731 999, text ‘FIRE’ to 80800 or visit www.firescotland.gov.uk
Check out the August issue of the Key, our tenant newsletter, for more fire safety advice.
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Monday, August 28, 2017