Fire safety tips and advice

You can get personalised advice to keep your home safe from fire by using a new Online Home Fire Safety Assessment tool, through the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) website.

Complete an Online Home Fire Safety Assessment to help identify fire hazards in your home and get advice on simple changes that can reduce the risk of a fire.

If you would like a free, face-to-face Home Fire Safety Assessment, delivered by trained staff, complete the online check to find out if you are eligible. If you are eligible you will be presented with an online referral form for  submitting to GMFRS’ Contact Centre.

Alternatively, you can also call 0800 555 815 to find out if you are eligible for a Home Fire Safety Assessment from GMFRS.

Email us at firesafety@salixhomes.co.uk for any other questions or help.

• Don’t overload electrics – one plug for one socket
• Ensure chargers and cables are from reputable sources i.e. CE marked etc.
• Switch off and unplug all electrical appliances (apart from those that should be left on, like a fridge) overnight
• Test your smoke alarms once a week
• Keep exits from your home clear so that people can escape if there is a fire
• Do not use damaged or frayed electrical cords
• Keep door and window keys accessible. If you need keys to unlock your front door keep them in the same safe place so you can grab them easily in an emergency.
• Bottled gas, paraffin heaters and liquid petrol gas are prohibited in your building
• Always close doors at night particularly the kitchen and lounge
• Keep lighters and matches out of sight and reach of children

Check that you have at least one working smoke alarm in your hallway. Contact us on 0800 218 2000 if you do not have a smoke alarm and we will arrange to have one installed.

We recommend that you have a smoke detector in your hallway and a heat detector in your kitchen too.

• Test your smoke and heat alarm once a week by pressing the test button
• If your alarm starts to bleep on a regular basis it may have developed a fault or simply need new batteries. Please contact us for further information
• Never disconnect or take the batteries out of your smoke alarm. Some smoke alarms are connected to your electricity supply and you could be injured if you try to disconnect it.

Kitchen fires are one of the most common causes of domestic fires and can easily take hold if food is left unattended. To reduce the risk of an injury or fire from cooking, please follow this advice:

• Take extra care if you have food cooking and need to leave the kitchen – always take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk
• Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – they can easily catch fire. You should also keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob
• Use spark devices to light cookers they are safer than matches or lighters because they don’t have a naked flame
• Double check the cooker is off when you’ve finished cooking
• Keep the oven, hob and grill clean and in good working order – a build-up of fat and grease can ignite a fire
• Never put anything metal in a microwave – it can spark and cause a fire
• Take care when cooking with hot oil – it sets alight easily
• If cooking oil starts to smoke – it’s too hot. Turn off the heat and leave it to cool
• Use a thermostat-controlled electric deep fat fryer – they can’t overheat
• Never throw water over a chip-pan fire instead use a soaked kitchen towel if you do not have a fire blanket.

• Position candles away from furnishings and furniture and keep them secure in an upright holder
• Extinguish candles before leaving a room
• Take care with scented candles, these kind of candles turn into liquid to release their fragrance, so put them in a glass or metal holder

• Make sure cigarettes are stubbed out properly and dispose of safely
• Never smoke in bed
• If you smoke on your balcony, extinguish your cigarette correctly and do not dispose of it onto the ground below

• Make sure barbecues are in a good working order
• Never use a barbecue indoors or in an enclosed space
• Ensure the barbecue is on a flat site well away from a shed, trees or shrubs
• Do not use barbecues on balconies
• Never leave a barbecue unattended
• Extinguish cigarettes properly
• Do not leave bottles, mirrors or glass in direct sunlight

Gas BBQs

• Never store gas cylinders under the stairs – if there is a fire they might explode and block your escape route
• Store gas cylinders outside, away from direct sunlight and frost
• Take care when turning bottled gas barbecues on and off
• Make sure the tap is turned off before changing the gas cylinder
• After cooking, turn the gas supply off first and then the barbecue control. This will stop any gas from leaking
• If you suspect a leak, turn off the gas cylinder and try brushing soapy water around all joints, watching for bubbles
• Make sure all joints are tightened, safe and secure
• Change gas cylinders outdoors or in a well-ventilated area