A STUDY by online training provider High Speed Training has found that 96% of GB residents are not testing their smoke alarms as regularly as is recommended, and that less than half have a fire escape plan for their home.

In the year 2020/21, fire services in England, Scotland and Wales attended over 630,000 total incidents, tragically resulting in over 300 fatalities.

Many of these incidents occur in the home. In fact, 20 people are injured or killed every day just by accidental fires that start in their kitchens.

As part of a report on residential fire safety, High Speed Training surveyed more than 2,000 GB adults, and found that an incredibly high number (96%) were not engaging in weekly testing as is recommended by fire services.

Smoke alarms are one of the most effective defences against fatal fires in the home, with estimates suggesting that you are eight times more likely to die in a fire if your home does not have working smoke alarms.

There should also be one smoke alarm placed on every level of a home, which was the case with 84% of the survey respondents.

In private rented and social rented homes, it is the duty of the landlord to ensure a suitable number of smoke alarms are installed and functional at the beginning of the tenancy, with at least one smoke alarm on each storey where a room is used as living accommodation.

If a fire does break out in your home, having an agreed escape plan is essential to increase your chances of escaping without serious injury.

The main key to a good fire escape plan is to include alternate routes to safety in case one exit is blocked or dangerous to use.

Younger

Though escape plans are recommended by fire services, the survey found that 55% of people in the GB do not have a fire escape plan in place in their home.

The report also found that younger generations are less likely to have a plan in place, with 68% of 18-24-year-olds saying they don’t have or don’t know if they have a plan.

In contrast, 45-55-year-olds are most likely to have a plan, with 51% stating they have an escape route prepared.

Faulty electrics, including appliances, wiring, and overloaded sockets, cause around 4,000 house fires in England every year. The maximum current allowed to safely flow through the socket (power rating) should be clearly marked on the back or underside of the extension lead. If not, you should refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

High Speed Training’s report found that 77% of respondents were unsure on how to check either the voltage or the amperage levels of a socket.

Closing all of the internal doors in your home is one way to increase your chances of being able to escape from a house fire.

A closed door can hold back fire and smoke, and buy you precious time to escape. However, in our survey, we found that 66% of people don’t close their internal doors every night.

Another simple step to add to your routine is to make sure that your exit route is clear of trip hazards. In the disorientating smoke of a house fire, objects on the floor could pose a real risk.

Our survey found that a huge 71% of respondents don’t ensure their exit routes are clear every night.

William Cunningham, Director of Safety Group and Fire Safety Consultant, said: “Over the last few years, we have all spent more time at home. It is so important that we make sure that our homes are as safe as possible, minimising the risks of a fire breaking out, and maximising our chances of escaping safely if one does.

“Having spent over 15 years working in fire safety, I can say that the steps included in this report, such as regularly testing properly placed smoke alarms, ensuring you have an escape plan, and not overloading sockets, are simple and practical ways to improve the fire safety of your home.

“The stats that High Speed Training have found show that many households across the UK could be doing more to reduce the risk of a fire breaking out in their homes.

“There is a real need to raise awareness of what can be done to improve fire safety across the country. By following the advice suggested in this report and by fire services across the country, we can decrease the risk of serious and potentially fatal fires occurring in our homes.”

Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training, said: “This report really highlights the need for everyone to have an awareness of how important it is to practise good fire safety at home.

“The steps outlined in this report are practical and accessible, and can easily be adopted by all homes to minimise the risk of a tragic fire.

“We would encourage everyone to assess the current situation in their home, and make any necessary changes to improve the fire safety of their property.”