If you haven't already - get a smoke alarm

This is not so far away from me

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/s...re/4844358.stm

Test it and make sure the battery's working.

Oh - and get rid of your chip pan - it's waiting to happen

[Richie]

Also.... If you have a fire alarm and it goes off when Cooking ie boiling carrots or Peas ( Just Steam & Not Burning anything!) , then It's time to get a new one, It says in the FIRE PREVENTION BOOKLET that 8-10 years is the life expectancy of a Smoke Alarm....

A Fire alarm that goes off from time to time when we know there ins't smoke makes us too complacent....

Yeah. Good call Ed.

Eh, I mean, here is the thing. I (and everyone I think) dont understand how fast your house can burn down.
My uncles place burnt down at the start of last winter. Everyone got out, only him, the wife and my cousin there. But, he was saying the whole place just sort of errupted into flames. As if...on a special effect on a film. He said it was surreal, the fire swept through inside the walls. I dont know how that could work. But, then instantly the whole wall exploded into flames. Like, the fire jumped about the place without actually touching things

Because, I was asking him why didnt he grab some valuable things (like his fathers clock) on the way out the door sort of thing. He was saying there was just no way. The whole thing was a complete blazing inferno in a few seconds...

So, smoke alarms... good idea

[embee]

100%

I installed a Kidde Fyrenetics system at home a bit over a year ago, 7 alarms, heat in kitchen, optical in hall+landing, ionisation in 2 receptions and 2 main beds, all inter-linked mains powered lithium-battery backup. Cost about £160 but great peace of mind. Cheap if it ever gets used in anger.

No-one will sleep through that lot! I put on ear-defenders when testing it!

....and CLOSE THE DOORS when you go to bed!!!!!!!!!!!!

if you're interested you can read the basic current smoke alarm regs here
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/index.html

Originally Posted by embee

....and CLOSE THE DOORS when you go to bed!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't sleep with the door open, anyway.

In case anybody didn't realise, smoke detectors are based on a radioactive substance as a particle detector. These things do run out. Replace all detectors on a regular basis. If you find out they don't work it may be too late.

[Quiff Wichard]

When I was a retail manager and with my first wife- I had 2 kids.

The fire engineer came to refill the extinguishers etc etc and we got chattin..!!

he mentioned smoke alarms... I said I had none

he said
do you love yer kids

I said of course

he said if they died and someone said you could have them back for £20 would you ?

of course!!


well he said 2 smoke alarms could save their life...

I got them on the way home that night and have always had new ones every time I change me car tax (my reminder) ... and I have a carbon monoxide alarm too ..


we all say what if?.... usually when we miss the lottery by 2 numbers etc..
but hey

WHAT IF??

[Richie]

Originally Posted by Quiff Wichard

When I was a retail manager and with my first wife- I had 2 kids.

The fire engineer came to refill the extinguishers etc etc and we got chattin..!!

he mentioned smoke alarms... I said I had none

he said
do you love yer kids

I said of course

he said if they died and someone said you could have them back for £20 would you ?

of course!!




well he said 2 smoke alarms could save their life...

I got them on the way home that night and have always had new ones every time I change me car tax (my reminder) ... and I have a carbon monoxide alarm too ..


we all say what if?.... usually when we miss the lottery by 2 numbers etc..
but hey

WHAT IF??

WELL SAID....

my smoke alarms also detect cabon monoxide

[timwilky]

I've had smoke detectors for about 15 years, change batterys every year and test them whenever the wife cooks . I suppose I really should upgrade them to linked and mains powered. Most important is the testing and a vac out.


Interesting though is the way kids think. My eldest was about 7 when I installed them and she went hysterical. Demanding they were taken down, wouldn't sleep. Eventually we understood why. In her logic, we were installing the detectors because we were going to have a fire, not in case of a fire.


Also people plan your escape route, know from which bedrooms etc you can escape and how. If you have to (god forbid) jump, drop out as much bedding/cushioning and don't jump. Remember the reach of most adults is about 6ft. Use it to your advantage and lower yourself as far as possible and drop onto the cushioning, roll as soon as you land. First one adult and then lower your kids, the person on the ground being able to support the child as they are lowered.

As many fires tend to be electrical in origin you may find yourself without light. Also the smoke will be so dense as you can't see even if the power is still on. So keep a torch in your bedside cabinet. If you have to rescue your kids, keep yoursef as low as possible whilst moving betweeen rooms. Remember get out call fire brigade and stay out no matter how tempting it may be to try to rescue valubles or fight the fire yourself. If stuck in a room use a damp towel if available to seal the underneath of the door to prevent smoke entering.

The above info given to me by a fire officer many years ago, may not be current practice so please do not take as gospel.

I also keep a fire blanket in the kitchen and small extinguisher (You never know with Lynnes cooking) plus two large CO2 extinguishers (Pinched from work when they closed the factory, with permission of the works fire officer) in the garage.

Incidently the only time I have needed to use an extingisher was 20 years ago. My father, brother and I were working in the garage at home and heard screams from my mother that the kitchen was on fire. We grabbed the extinguishers and banged the levers as we entered the kitchen. Bloody powder everywhere, what a mess they make. Turns out she had put the trays in to heat up for the yorkshire puds, and forgot about them, the fat got so hot that as she opened the oven door and the air got in. whoosh, tray of fire. which she threw in panic. Personally I think it was a ploy to get a new kitchen

I live in a new house with mains system but I just thought it was a dinner gong as it goes off every time my wife opens the oven door if the kitchen door is open as well -----Still a least we know they work