Stay fire safe in your home this festive season

We want our customers to enjoy seasonal celebrations but it’s so important that you do so safely to protect you and those around you.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service crews regularly attend incidents at people’s homes during the festive period, and the consequences can be devastating.

We’ve put together some fire safety tips and advice to help you stay safe in your home.

Key safety advice for at home over the festive period includes:

• Check your Christmas tree lights carry the British Safety Standard sign.
• Always switch Christmas lights off and unplug them before you go to bed.
• Never place candles near your Christmas tree or furnishings and don’t leave them burning unattended.
• Test your smoke alarms at least monthly and only remove batteries when replacing them.
• Most fires start in the kitchen. Avoid leaving a cooker unattended. Avoid cooking when under the influence of alcohol.
• Make sure your family and visitors know how to escape in an emergency.
• Make sure cigarettes are put out properly.
• Decorations can burn easily – so don’t attach them to lights or heaters.
• Never overload electrical sockets.
• Take time to check on older relatives and neighbours to make sure they are fire safe.

Fire safety advice if you live in flats

We want our customers to enjoy living in our communal blocks of flats, but we also have a duty to keep you safe.

FCHO is responsible for the communal areas and by law we have to make sure that you have a clear escape route in an emergency. This means that we have to be strict about what is left outside of your home.

Please follow this checklist so any of your seasonal decorations are safe for everyone:

• No decorations in entrance areas, corridors, lobby or landings.
• No trees in any shared areas, corridors, lobby, landings.
• No door decorations e.g., wreaths, door bows, webs, banners.
• No decoration on handrails e.g., tinsel wrapped around handrails.

Electric bikes and scooters

Electric bikes and scooters are becoming more and more popular and if you are thinking of buying one as a gift, please remember:

• Buy electric bikes/scooters and chargers and batteries from reputable retailers. Items which don’t meet British or European standards pose a fire risk.

• If buying an electric bike conversion kit, purchase from a reputable seller and check that it complies with British or European standards. If buying separate components, check that they are compatible.
  
  
• Ensure you register your appliance with the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) for a safer home.

Visit our Fire Safety Advice page for more information about:

• Storing and charging an e-bike or e-scooter
• Damage and disposal of e-bike and e-scooter batteries