Fire safety advice and information
As well as dealing with fires and other emergencies, the London Fire Brigade enforces fire safety laws, gives advice about fire safety and carries out various emergency-planning activities, including helping the London boroughs to plan for emergencies. This section of the site will be updated with useful information and tips from the Brigade.

• Home fire safety checks
• Escape plans
• Fire safety
• Borough fire stations
  

Home fire safety checks
Could you live with the consequences of not checking that vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours have working smoke alarms in their homes?

If you or someone you know needs a smoke alarm, call us free on 08000 28 44 28 or email smokealarms@london-fire.gov.uk. Could you live with yourself if you didn't?

The winter months can potentially spell danger for older people in the capital. Nearly 60 per cent of people who die in fires are aged 60 or over and the winter period is the time of greatest risk as use of heaters and cooking appliances increases.

That's why our campaign Could you live with yourself? targets vulnerable older people at boroughs throughout London where fires and fire deaths are high.

Already, hundreds of people across London have called our freephone number or emailed us to request a home fire safety check.

The campaign aims to cut the number of fire-related deaths among the over 60s in London. It's also aimed at the people who look after older people such as Social Services, including home helps and elderly care teams, carer groups, neighbours or a family member anyone with a direct link to older people.

We've written to London boroughs, housing trusts, charities and voluntary groups to help get our message across and we'll also be giving talks to voluntary groups and community organisations across London.

Older people or members of their family and carers are asked to contact our freephone number to book a home fire safety check.

As well as offering free home fire safety checks to older people, we'll also be installing 10-year smoke alarms. These are free of charge for older people where needed.

Escape plans
Does everyone in your home know what to do if there's a fire?

If there's a fire in your home, you need to tell everyone to get straight out, call 999 and make sure no one goes back in. Everyone needs to know what to do and you should have an escape plan you've all practised to help get everyone out safely when there is an emergency.

Make an escape plan

• Include everyone who lives in your home, especially children, older people and lodgers
• Talk through your plan, including what to do and what not to do in a fire
• Tell everyone where the keys are for the doors and windows
• Plan the order you'd escape in, so that if you have to go out of a window you can help others down
• Practise the plan and remind everyone of what to do and what not to do in a fire regularly
• Put your address by the phone so children can read it out to the emergency services
• Put a reminder of what to do in a fire somewhere prominent, like on the door of the fridge

Choose an escape route

• The best escape route is your normal way in and out of your home
• Think of any difficulties you may have getting out, for example in the middle of the night
• Choose a second escape route in case the first one is blocked
• Keep both escape routes clear of things that might get in the way
• You may be able to escape out of the window if you're on the ground floor
• If you're on the first floor you should only do this as a last resort when you are in immediate danger. You should cushion your fall with bedding or cushions and lower yourself before dropping

What if you can't escape?

• If you can't escape, you need to find one room for everyone to take refuge in
• It's best if the room you retreat to has a window and a phone
• Shut the door and block the bottom of it to prevent smoke getting in
• Open the window and call for help
• Stay by the window and lean out of the window to breathe if you need to

What if you live in a flat?

High rise flats are built to be fireproof. Walls ceilings and doors will hold back flames and smoke. If there's a fire elsewhere in the building you're usually safer staying in your flat unless heat or smoke is affecting you.

• Make sure everyone in your home knows about the fire and alert neighbouring flats by banging on the doors on your way out. Set off the fire alarm if there is one
• If there's a lot of smoke, crawl along the floor where the air will be cleaner
• Get everyone out and don't delay for valuables
• Don't investigate the fire
• Before you open doors check them with the back of your hand. If they're warm don't open them as the fire is on the other side
• Don't use the lift. Go down the stairs

What else can I do?
Fit smoke alarms that have the British Standard Kitemark on them. They can give you more time to get out. Test them weekly and change the battery once a year.

Fire safety
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) website is available at www.london-fire.gov.uk where you can find information on fire safety amongst amongst many other useful subjects.

Whether you're at home, at work or outside your home, we want to help you keep safe from fire. Prevention is better than cure.

Always remember, if fire breaks out - get out, stay out and call 999 - don't try to fight a fire yourself.

Choose from the following to find out our latest advice on how you can stay safe from fire:

• At home
• At work
• Outside your home
• Schools and children

Nearly 60 percent of people who die in fires are aged 60 or over. We're offering Free Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSC) to vulnerable older people in London with our Could you live with yourself? campaign. We'll also be installing free 10-year smoke alarms for older people where needed.

Around 39,000 fires in London - 68 per cent of all fires - are started deliberately. Find out what we're doing about Fire Related Crime, Arson Reduction Strategy, Community Fire Safety Strategy and Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Scheme and what the statistics are for the capital.

Sometimes, manufacturers recall their products because of a safety problem. We've produced the most comprehensive list of product recalls in UK and it's free so why not check your products now.

If you're concerned about a fire risk, which may be a danger to life, you should contact your local Fire and Community Safety Centre during normal office hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Outside these hours, call 999.

For more information on fire safety go to the LFB advice webpage or visit the latest press releases.

Borough fire stations
There are three fire stations in Wandsworth

Battersea Fire Station, 11 Este Road, Battersea, SW11 2TL. Tel: (020) 8555 1200 (ext. 4548). Get a map (from streetmap.co.uk)

Tooting Fire Station, 91 Trinity Road, Tooting, SW17 7SQ. Tel: (020) 8555 1200 (ext. 4550). Get a map (from streetmap.co.uk)

Wandsworth Fire Station 45 West Hill Wandsworth SW18 1RL. Tel: (020) 8555 1200 (ext. 4549). Get a map (from streetmap.co.uk)