| LFB urges Londoners to perform pre-holiday fire safety checks |
LFB reminds Londoners to check homes for fire hazards before departure
London Fire Brigade is reminding Londoners of the importance of protecting their homes from fire when leaving the capital for their well deserved summer break.
By carrying out some simple checks before leaving your home, you may be able to avoid coming back to the devastation that fire can cause. The precautions advised (in full below) should be a part of all holiday goers' pre-departure routines.
Before you go on holiday:
- Consideration should be given to turning the water off at the mains. Water from a leaking pipe or overflowing cistern could short out electrical wiring and cause a fire.
- Close down the gas supply at the mains unless you have gas-powered appliances which need to be left on.
- Let a trusted friend or family member who lives close by know you are going away and leave a key with them.
- Switch off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment, including appliances such as TVs and radios which have a ‘standby' mode.
- Close all doors and windows, especially the internal doors, so if fire breaks out its spread will be slowed down.
- Check your smoke alarms and change the batteries if necessary.
London Fire Brigade's Assistant Commissioner for community safety Andy Barrett said: "Nobody wants to go on holiday and return to find that their home has been wrecked by fire. The chances of this happening can be reduced by going through some simple fire safety checks before leaving for your holiday to ensure your home is protected. For more information about fire safety, Londoners should visit www.london-fire.gov.uk."