“Don’t be a turkey this Christmas” says fire service

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“Don’t be a turkey this Christmas” is the tongue in cheek message Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) want people to think about as they prepare for Christmas.

For many families the celebrations include a large family meal when it could be very easy for a fire to start. GMFRS want to make that cooking and preparation to be as safe as possible, or in the event of an accidental fire to make sure everyone knows what to do.

In the last nine months GMFRS have attended 1,050 cooking related fires which have resulted in 440 people needing some form of medical treatment.

Chief Fire Officer Steve McGuirk said: “It is ironic and tragic that during periods of celebration there is a dramatic increase in the number of fires amongst many communities. Our aim is to make people aware of their surroundings and ensure that they are actively thinking about fire safety in the home.”

The following Fire safety messages will help you keep your family safe and happy this Christmas:

When cooking: 

• Alcohol and cooking don’t mix well – avoid cooking when you have had a drink – your reactions are slower and an accident is much more likely to happen.
• Never leave cooking unattended- even to answer the ‘phone or the door – serious fires can start when your distracted, even for a few seconds.
• When cooking fried food, dry it before you put it in the hot oil. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool. Never fill the pan more than one-third full of oil. Never throw water over the pan.

Smoke Alarms…Your first line of defence: 

• Your first line of defence should be a smoke alarm. If there is a fire, a smoke alarm will immediately warn you, giving you and everyone in your home time to escape to safety.
• Fit smoke alarms on the ceiling on each floor level in your home – the best places are top of the staircase, stair landing and between living and sleeping areas (do not fit them in the kitchen).
• Do NOT remove the batteries – if your smoke alarm keeps going off it might be too close to the kitchen.
• Test your smoke alarms once a week to make sure the batteries are working.
• If you are buying a new smoke alarm consider a 10-year alarm which will require less frequent battery changes.
• But don't forget that all types of alarms need to be tested once a week.

Make an escape plan:

Make sure you make an escape plan in the event of a fire – and everyone in the house knows what to do – particularly visitors or overnight guests!

In the event of a fire in your home ...Get out, stay out, call the fire service out!

For more winter safety tips visit www.safe4winter.com or for a free Home Fire Risk Assessment call the free phone line on 0800 555 815.