Bedtime Routine
Many fires in the home start at night and a bedtime fire safety routine will help to keep you and your family safe. Doing the following before going to sleep at night will make an excellent bedtime routine.
- Switch off and unplug all electrical appliances not designed to stay on. Many people including children, now have electrical appliances such as TV's, computers etc. in their bedrooms. Where these are present in such rooms, it is important that those not designed to remain on for 24hrs should be unplugged. Do you or your children ensure that this is done? As an added precaution, a smoke alarm should be fitted in the bedroom to give you warning of a fire in your or your children's rooms.
- Make sure no cigarettes or pipes are still burning. Never smoke in bed, you may fall asleep and drop the cigarette end onto bedclothes.
- Before emptying ashtrays make sure the contents are cold. If in doubt, douse them with a little water and place the ashtray on a surface which will not easily ignite such as a kitchen work top.
- Switch off portable heaters.
- Close the doors to all rooms. Smoke will still reach your detector as a fire will build up pressure in a room and force it out through gaps (however small) around the door.
- Place your door keys near the exit door.
- A correctly installed and working smoke alarm can give early warning allowing you and your family those valuable extra minutes to make your escape.