Working smoke alarms save lives! No matter which way you look at it, it’s true and we try and remind people of this immensely important point every October during Fire Safety Week, sharing tips and easy solutions on how to keep your houses safe. It has such importance and potential to save your life that it was featured for the first time in the 2022 National Census.

There’s a widely held belief that if your home catches fire, the smell of smoke will wake you up. Nothing could be further from the truth, as inhaling smoke and other toxic gases can put you in a deeper sleep. Brain death occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen for as little as three minutes.

A working smoke alarm buys you time by alerting you to the presence of smoke and giving you a chance to escape from injury and potentially death. If you haven’t got a working smoke alarm, consider fitting one today. If you do have a smoke alarm, remember to check it and make sure it’s in good working order (you can test them by simply pressing the test button with the handle tip of a floor brush).

The Dublin Fire Brigade, in conjunction with National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM), is working with a number of groups to supply and fit Smoke Detectors in homes throughout the community. 2,000 detectors have been supplied and fitted to date, and there are hopes to expand on this and install between 2,500-3,000 smoke detectors in people’s homes throughout Dublin in 2024.

Today is the start of Fire Safety Week, an all island #FireSafety campaign in conjunction with @FireSafetyIre and @NIFRSOFFICIAL

The theme is #SaferTogether, we’re asking neighbours and friends to check in on older and vulnerable people#23FSW #STOPFirehttps://t.co/xVJu4TvOXZ pic.twitter.com/oWcI7DNKMZ

— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) October 9, 2023

Since this week is about creating awareness around fire safety, here is what you should know to be better prepared to protect yourself from fire.

The two main areas of the home where fires occur are the living room and the kitchen, but there has been a growing trend in bedroom fires. A number of these bedroom fires have been identified as coming from hair-styling tools left close to bedlinen and carpets while still hot, which result in fire. Another source, which is becoming more prevalent, is smartphones, electronic scooters and tablets being charged overnight, resulting in the device overheating and subsequently going on fire.

In order to reduce the risk of fire in your home, you only need to make simple changes in your routine. Here’s what we can do.

Be mindful of candles
Keeping candles away from windows and curtains and extinguishing them when leaving the room is one way to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Check your plugs and cables
Checking electrical appliances to make sure that the electrical cables and plugs are in good condition and not overloading is another simple step to prevent a fire from occurring. Switching off your televisions and devices at the end of the night is also advisable – not to mention it saves energy!

You should have at least one working smoke alarm on each floor of your home#TestItTuesday – Alarms should be tested weekly, remember the hashtag!

Always have spare batteries, never “borrow” batteries from your smoke alarm#23FSW #SaferTogether #STOPfire pic.twitter.com/yLojzJblc9

— Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) October 10, 2023

Plan in advance
Have a plan for the elderly or vulnerable people in your household. Have all emergency numbers ready to call in the event of a fire. Remember 112 or 999 in an emergency.

Close before you doze
Finally, the simplest of these fire safety tips is to close all doors to the kitchen and living area at night. Closed doors can reduce fire growth, limit damage to your home, keep temperatures down, and may even save your life. Check out the “Close before you doze” campaign to see just how effective this can be.

Keep these few tips in mind and your home will be better protected and your loved ones safe from fire.