We want to keep our children safe from any possible danger but would they know what to do if a fire started in your home? This is a conversation you really need to have with them Take the time now so your family will be prepared in the event of a fire emergency in your home. Fire safety begins with prevention and you should always be aware of things that could be hazardous:

• Are your electrical appliances in a good, safe condition, without loose, frayed chords or plugs?
• Are you overloading your outlets with plugs from the TV, computer, printer, video game console, and stereo?
• Are you overusing an extension chord?
• Are you using the right wattage bulbs for your light fixings?

Take a walk around your home and spot any potential problems. Don’t be tempted to install electrical appliances on your own either as many home fires are caused by improper installation of electrical devices. It is advisable to:

• Professionally repair or replace any appliances that spark, smell unusual, or overheat.
• Make sure lamps and night-lights are not touching bedding or curtains.
• Be very careful when using electric blankets.
• Don’t let kids use kitchen appliances unsupervised
• Cover any outlets that are not in use with plastic safety covers if you have toddlers or young children in your home.

Residential fires always increase during colder months and portable heaters contribute to this rise. Before plugging in your heater, make sure you know how to use it safely:

• Never position a heater where a child or pet could accidentally knock it over.
• Never position a heater too close to a bed, especially a child’s bed.
• Keep newspapers, magazines, and fabrics from curtains, clothes, or bedding away from heaters, radiators and fireplaces.
• Heaters should be placed at least 3 feet from anything flammable.

Paying close attention to the kitchen area is highly recommended as this is the room where there are many ways for a fire to start. Unsupervised cooking on a stove or in an oven or microwave, grease spills or a tea towel left too close to the hob are all potential hazards. Get into the habit of practicing safe cooking skills, for example, turning all saucepan handles away from the edge where they could be knocked. For Gloucester Fire Risk Assessment, visit http://keloscape.co.uk/fire-risk-assessment/.

We’ve all heard the dangers of children playing with matches or lighters but in the rush of daily life, it can easily be overlooked. Always keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach. Store flammable materials such as gasoline, kerosene, and cleaning supplies outside of your home and away from kids. The same attention needs to be paid to decorative candles. Make sure they are kept well away from kids, pets, curtains and furniture. Never leave an unattended candle burning and certainly not in a child’s or teenager’s bedroom. Make sure candles are in strong, non-flammable holders and can’t fall over.

Fireplaces should be kept clean and covered with a screen to prevent sparks from escaping. Only wood should be burned in the fireplace as paper and other materials can escape while burning and ignite nearby items. Never leave a fire burning unattended and make sure a fire is completely extinguished before leaving the house or going to bed.