However they still make a short bleep when the battery is
low. The crew checked it was working and advised Mrs Inglis
to vacuum it regularly and to check it was working every week
by pressing the button. As the smoke detector was in the hall
the crew offered to fit a second detector with a 10 year battery
in the living room where there was a lot of electrical equipment.
This service, just like the visit, is free of charge.
The crew then asked Mrs Inglis if she had ever had a fire
in the house. Last year in north west Glasgow alone there were
over 400 house fires. Luckily Mrs Inglis had never had a fire
so Crew manager David King asked what she would do in the event
of fire. The crew helped her to make an action plan that the
family could follow if a fire did start in the house. They
pointed out that every household should have a fire action
plan and that local fire stations can come for a home fire
safety visit and help you to form one. Mrs Inglis knew that
she must shut all her doors at night to stop a potential fire
from spreading but she didn't realise that one of her doors
could, when closed, hold back a fire for up to 20 minutes.
This is good to know since the Fire and Rescue's response time
in the city is only 5 minutes. The house was on the ground
floor so Crew Manager King asked whether the windows were kept
locked. He told Mrs Inglis that everyone in the house should
know where the keys are kept in case they have to use the windows
for evacuation. He added that everyone should know how to open
the blinds in case these were in the way.
Then the candles on the window sill were discussed. Although
these candles were only for decoration and had never been lit,
the crew advised Mrs Inglis that candles near curtains are
very dangerous as they could catch fire very easily. They said
that tea light candles are particularly dangerous as the metal
holders they come in are not fire resistant. Tea light candles
are causing fires more and more frequently as people walk out
of the room leaving them lit or forget to put them fire resistant
holders. Finally the crew noticed there were some letters and
paper overhanging the mantelpiece. They suggested storing them
somewhere else as they could easily catch fire adding that
anything left near a fire can catch alight so a fireguard should
also be used. Mrs Inglis thanked the fire crew for coming and
said she had found the advice very useful. If you would like
your local fire crew to visit your house and provide you with
fire safety advice, just call 0800 0731 999 or your local fire
station.
For further information about making referrals for home fire
safety visits call Nicola Vikis on 0141 302 3191.
