DCO McGown: “It’s not on.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has launched a hard hitting safety advert highlighting the dangers of white goods fires. The 30 second clip – showing a household washing machine blaze – was unveiled yesterday. Continue reading Fire service called to more than 300 white goods fires last year
Christmas is nearly upon us, and the rush to get last minute gifts, decorations and food is certainly underway. Continue reading Make Sure This Christmas is One to Remember – For the Right Reasons!
Christmas is a time for celebration and festive fun, but it is also a peak time for tree and decorations related ladder accidents. Continue reading Ladder Safety at Christmas
A consultation to ensure all homes are fully protected against fire and smoke has opened, and members of the public are being encouraged to share their views. Continue reading Home safety is paramount: consultation launched
As a homeowner, landlord or tenant, have you been taking the necessary steps to ensure electrical safety over the summer? Continue reading Staying safe over summer
Did you know that next week is National Chip Week? No, me neither – but here’s some timely advice from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service:
Cook your chips safely – fit a heat alarm in your kitchen
Next week is National Chip Week, a celebration of one of Britain’s traditional treats, and the top message from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is to cook your chips safely – fit a heat alarm in your kitchen.
Cooking is the number one cause of house fires. Last year there were 4690 accidental house fires in Scotland and 2790, or 59% of them, were cooking related. This resulted in 583 people being injured.
You can reduce your chances of being injured by fitting a heat alarm in your kitchen. These are specially designed for the kitchen and are not activated by smoke, preventing false alarms. A heat alarm will alert you to a cooking fire more quickly than a smoke alarm and give you the best chance to get out fast. Heat alarms are available from DIY stores or online from around £20.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, Director of Prevention and Protection, SFRS said: “Deep frying with chip pans poses an ongoing safety risk so we want to make sure everyone cooks safely and knows the associated dangers. It only takes a moment of distraction, or falling asleep, for a fire in the home to start. At SFRS we’re recommending:
· Fitting a heat alarm in your kitchen.
· Making sure you have working smoke alarms in your home.
· If you’re tired, have been drinking or have taken drugs, don’t cook. You’ll be less alert to the signs of fire and more likely to fall asleep. Preparing cold food or opting for a takeaway would be much safer options.
· If you want chips at the end of a night out, buy them in a chip shop on the way home, rather than attempting to cook when you get home.
“The best way to avoid having a chip pan fire is to use a thermostat controlled, electric deep fat fryer instead. The safety cut-out (thermostat) controls the temperature of the fat or oil. Oven or microwave chips are also safer alternatives to chip pans.
“If you do use a chip pan and it catches fire, never try to move the pan and never throw water over the pan as it will react violently with the hot oil. If the fire is well developed get out, stay out, dial 999! If the fire is in its early stages, and if it is safe to do so, turn off the heat. Then get out of the kitchen, close the door and call the SFRS.”
During National Chip Week, just like every other week of the year, SFRS offers the public a FREE Home Fire Safety Visit. Call to book one for you, or someone you know who is at risk from fire, on 0800 0731 999, text ‘fire’ to 80800 or visit us online at www.firescotland.gov.uk
SFRS recently ran a TV, radio and press advert featuring Station Manager Scott Kennedy recounting a fatal chip pan fire he attended. View the advert here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
And for more information on National Chip Week, visit
Fire chiefs warn: don’t leave charging devices unattended
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is warning the public about the danger of leaving devices unattended while charging after a laptop caught fire at a house in Falkirk yesterday.
Fortunately no-one was injured in the incident, but fire officers are urging the public to remember to unplug chargers before leaving home.
Watch Manager Mike Fitches said: “The fire was caused by an overheated laptop which had been left charging. The fire has caused extensive damage to the bedroom and some damage to the first floor. Thankfully no one was at home at the time of the fire and we were alerted by workmen who were outside another house in the area.
“This incident had the potential to be even more serious and we can’t stress enough how important it is to unplug any chargers before you go out.
He added: “We would also urge everyone to ensure they have a working smoke alarm inside their property. We provide FREE home fire safety visits, including the fitting of smoke alarms where required.”
Join Scotland’s Fight Against Fire and request a home fire safety visit by calling the SFRS freephone number 0800 0731 999 or visit the website at www.firescotland.gov.uk.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service would like to remind tenants to keep their stairwells clear – especially in the run up to Christmas:
Group Manager Steve Gourlay, the City of Edinburgh Prevention and Protection Manager, said: “We would urge people not to leave rubbish or bins in the common stairwells of tenement blocks. This can be very attractive to fire setters and increases the risk of a fire. Discarded items of furniture and rubbish can produce large amounts of toxic smoke and also impede access for emergency responders.
In Edinburgh, roughly 100 deliberate property fires occur every year with many of these involving combustibles in stairwells – the casualties and damage caused are preventable and we need to reduce them.
“You can reduce the risk of fire for yourself and your neighbours by keeping common stairs clear and free from obstruction and making sure main doors are kept locked. Steps should be taken to ensure the door entry/intercom system is working.
“I would like to stress the importance of having a working smoke alarm. Every household should have working smoke alarm and test them every week. We provide free home fire safety visits and fit smoke alarms where required. If you know someone who can benefit from our service, why not get them to give us a call? It is important that you know what to do if a fire does occur in the stairwell and how to keep safe. We can advise on this as part of the visit.
“If you or someone you know could benefit from a visit, please join Scotland’s fight against fire and request a visit by calling the SFRS freephone number 0800 0731 999, or by contacting their local fire station.”
A wide range of tips on how to keep yourself and your home safe from fire are available on the SFRS website: www.firescotland.gov.uk
Did you know this is Candle Safety Week? Me neither, but here’s some advice that’s particularly relevant at this time of the year …
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is making an appeal to the public to stay safe this Candle Safety Week.
Candles pose a real threat to life if misused. Follow our top tips to make sure you, your family and home stay safe from fire:
• Make sure that when in use, candles are secured in a proper holder and away from materials that may catch fire – like curtains, furniture, Christmas trees, decorations or toys.
• Children and pets should not be left alone with lit candles.
• Put candles out when you leave the room, and make sure they’re put out completely at night. In particular, never leave a burning candle in a bedroom.
• Trim the wick to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks can cause uneven burning, dripping or flaring.
• Don’t move candles once they are lit.
• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on burn time and proper use.
• Do not burn several candles close together as this might cause flaring (mainly with tea-lights).
• Always make sure tea-lights are placed in a proper holder. The foil container that tea lights are contained in can get very hot. They can melt through plastic, such as a bath, and have the potential to start a house fire.
• Use a snuffer or a spoon to put out candles. It’s safer than blowing them out when embers can fly.
Taking these precautions will reduce the chances of a house fire, but should the worst happen, remember to ensure that your smoke alarms are in working order and that everyone living in your household knows their quickest escapes routes in an emergency.
Top safety tip: this winter, keep a torch and spare batteries readily available in your home in case of a lighting failure.
If you or someone you know could benefit from a FREE Home Fire Safety Visit, please join Scotland’s fight against fire and request a visit by calling the SFRS freephone number 0800 0731 999, by texting ‘check’ to 61611 or by contacting their local fire station.
Some sage seasonal advice from Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service:
MAKE SURE:
DON’T:
To book a Home Safety Visit by local firefighters and fitting of a free smoke detector call 0800 169 0320
For more information about fire safety visit www.lbfire.org.uk
