Billingshurst Fire Station: Smoke alarms

“Do you have a working smoke alarm?”

You are four times more likely to die in a fire in the home if there is no working smoke alarm. One of our key factors within the Fire Service is prevention. We want to stop fires happening within the home, and having working smoke alarms is a must.

Billingshurst Fire Station offer FREE Home Fire Safety Checks, where we will come and give you advice and fit working smoke alarms if we feel your property needs them. We come and talk about overloading plug sockets, closing doors at night, knowing your escape routes and much more, and this service is completely FREE. We are urging people to get in touch following a number of domestic dwelling fires in our area recently. Thankfully some home owners have been alerted by their smoke alarms, but following fire investigations, some have not had working smoke alarms.

We also find when completing home fire safety checks, that people take the batteries out, because they are annoying when they go off while cooking. We understand some smoke alarms are sensitive, but they really do save lives. Please DO NOT take the batteries out. Resiting it a little further away from the cooker is usually all that is needed.

If you are like the majority of people who do have working smoke alarms, then well done. Did you know that you should test it at least once a week? We call it ‘Test it Tuesday’. It’s an easy way of remembering to test your smoke alarms. There will be a small test button on the face of the alarm which you hold in until it beeps; this indicates that it is working. If you are unable to test your smoke alarms, then ask a neighbour or family member to help you. It’s also important that smoke alarms stay dust-free, so when vacuuming the house, give the smoke alarm head a little vacuum too.

Visit the West Sussex County Council website, where you can request a safe and well visit. Go to www.westsussex.gov.uk and search for ‘Safe and well visit’. Twitter: @Station49Fire Facebook: Billingshurst Fire Station Dan Game, Billingshurst Fire Station

Photo: it’s not enough to fit a smoke alarm – weekly testing is vital. Can’t reach the button? Just use a stick!

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