Fire Safety in Summer
Summer is a great time to enjoy the sunshine. You might have barbeques with your family, relax in the garden, or spend more time outside. But when the weather gets hot and dry, fires can start more easily. That's why it's important to know how to stay safe both inside and outside your home.
BBQ Safety
Barbeques (BBQs) are fun, but they must be used carefully. They should always be used outside, never indoors or in a shed. Make sure they're placed on flat ground, away from fences, trees, or anything that could catch fire.
Only responsible adults should light or move a BBQ, and someone should always stay nearby while it's hot. After cooking, let it cool down completely before it's cleaned or put away.
Extra care is needed with disposable BBQs. Never use them on bone-dry grass, and if placed on paving, be aware the spot can stay dangerously hot. People, pets, and especially children have been badly burned this way
Take a look at our BBQ risk assessment document on our website here www.southessexhomes.co.uk/fire-safety or check out the website for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents: www.rospa.com
Garden Safety
In the garden, dry grass and plants can catch fire quickly. It's best not to use fire pits or burn garden waste when it hasn't rained for a while.
If someone in your home smokes, they should always put out cigarettes properly and never throw them on the ground. Even a small spark can start a fire.
Glass bottles or jars left in the sun can also be dangerous. Sunlight can shine through the glass and heat up dry grass, which might start a fire. That's why it's a good idea to tidy up bottles and rubbish after relaxing or eating outside.
Smoke Alarms Save Lives
Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them once a month and replace the batteries if needed. It's also a good idea to talk to your family about what to do in case of a fire. Make sure everyone knows how to get out safely and where to meet outside.
Staying Safe Indoors
Inside the house, people often use fans or plug in extra things to stay cool. That's okay, but it's important not to plug in too many things at once. Too many plugs in one socket can cause a fire.
Also, fans and other electrical items should be turned off when you leave the house or go to sleep, because they can get too hot if left on for too long.
Involving Children
While fire safety is an adult responsibility, children can still play a helpful role. Encourage them to tidy up outdoor spaces, stay away from BBQs and fire pits, and tell an adult if they see something unsafe, like matches left out or a BBQ left unattended.
Safely Dispose of Waste
Please be extremely careful to safely dispose of all your household waste, this applies year-round but especially in warmer weather. Never dispose of items such as cigarettes, matches or candles unless they are completely put out and ideally only after being dipped in water to make sure there is no chance of them relighting.
Other items that could cause a fire, such as barbecue coals and batteries (especially lithium-ion batteries), must not be put with household waste and never down bin chutes. Incorrectly disposing of these items could result in a fire, endangering your neighbours and Southend's refuse collectors.