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Student Fire Safety Week

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During Student Fire Safety Week (21-27 October 2019) Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) is encouraging students to be fire aware.

Many young people are living away from home for the first time, either in rented property or halls of residence, where they have new responsibilities when it comes to fire prevention and awareness.

In the last 10 years, HWFRS has responded to more than 300 incidents at student accommodation, but fortunately most of these have been to smoke alarms being activated by cooking, steam, aerosols or cigarettes. However, at least two fire engines and crews are mobilised to each 999 call to a halls of residence, whatever the cause of the smoke or fire alarm.

Station Commander Amy Bailey of the HWFRS Community Risk team said: “With all the excitement and opportunity that university life brings, fire safety might not be at the top of a young person’s list of priorities.

“However, in amongst all the studying and socialising, taking a few moments to think about your accommodation, how you use it and what you might do to reduce any fire risks might save your life.”

By following these Fire Kills campaign tips, you can help make sure that your student experience is a fire-safe one:

  • don’t leave cooking unattended and take extra care when frying with oil
  • don’t cook if you’ve been drinking alcohol, especially late at night
  • don’t charge your phone or laptop on bedding, but on a surface where air can circulate around the device
  • if you smoke, make sure you put your cigarette out, right out
  • keep candles away from flammable surfaces or material that might burn – such as curtains, TVs, bath tubs – and never leave lit candles unattended
  • don’t overload plug sockets, or extension cables and make sure cables are flat and not wound up or hidden up bedding and clothes
  • switch off electrical equipment such as chargers, hair straighteners and blow dryers when not in use
  • make sure you know your escape routes and have a plan B in case your route is blocked
  • in the event of a fire, get out, stay out and call 999

Ends

pr068.studentfiresafetywk.CR.oct19.jaa (SCAB)