People across the county are being urged to check and test their smoke alarms when they change their clocks this Sunday.
The warning comes from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service as part of a national ‘Fire Kills’ campaign aimed at giving people a better chance of surviving a fire.
Research shows that people are at least four times more likely to die in a fire in their home if they do not have working smoke alarms.
In the majority of domestic fires with fatalities, smoke alarms were either not present or did not go off with the most common cause being missing or flat batteries.
The fire service has launched its ‘Tick Tock Test’ urging people to check their alarms in as they move the clocks forward an hour to British Summer Time.
“Smoke alarms are a well-proven lifesaving tool, but they are no use if they are not working,” says Matthew Reavill, Station Manager, Community Safety North.
Taking the time to test the smoke alarms in your home could be a truly lifesaving decision and the clock change weekend can act as a great reminder.
“Over the weekend of March 28-29, why not test yours when you change the clocks?”
Residents with elderly or vulnerable friends, relatives or neighbours are also being urged to give them a better chance by testing their devices for them.
Over the weekend, NFRS is encouraging as many people as possible to retweet and share its messages promoting the checking of fire alarms.
NFRS also has the following tips for ensuring that residents stay safe in their homes:
- Change the battery on your smoke alarms at least once a year, unless they are fitted with 10 year batteries.
- Never remove the battery. Never take the battery out of the alarm for small things like the remote control.
- Make testing your smoke alarm a household chore. Make sure you do it at least once a week.
- Help others. Test the fire alarm of anyone you may know who wouldn’t be able to do it themselves.
- Plan an escape route. In the event of a fire, have an escape plan and make sure that everybody knows about it.
- Remember Tick, Tock, Test.
