Important Fire Safety Information

A smoke alarm without batteries is a useless piece of plastic.

That is the message from Station Manager Karen Adams, manager of the Community Safety Task Teams based at Dorset Fire and Rescue Service HQ, Poundbury and Hamworthy fire station. Karen leads a team of firefighters and officers, who are taking DFRS's safety message out into the community, with a particular focus on educating vulnerable and hard to reach groups.

When someone dies in a fire, as unfortunately happened at the end of February, it is always upsetting. At Dorset Fire and Rescue Service, our aim is to reduce all preventable fire deaths to zero. We want to see every home in Dorset with a smoke alarm and that means testing your smoke alarms every week! With the clock change fast approaching, when you go around your home changing the time on all your clocks, take the time to test your smoke alarms too!

Karen said: "We provide a free home safety check service to those in our at risk groups. Firefighters and DFRS staff are able to visit residents in their homes and fit or replace smoke alarms, advise on the use of candles, unattended cooking, electric blankets, overloading sockets, chimneys, low energy light bulbs and much more. This is all free of charge with the aim of encouraging people to think about fire safety in the home."

She added: "People need to consider their night-time routine: close doors, keep an escape route clear, and check they know where the door key is so they can let themselves out. Smoke alarms should be tested once a week to make sure they are still working and in good condition. A smoke alarm without a battery is useless piece of plastic."

To request a Free Home Safety Check for you, or someone who may be vulnerable and would benefit from a visit, please get their permission and contact us on 01305 252600 or use the new form on the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service website. Just fill out the form with your name and address details and click 'submit'. Our new PinPoint technology will analyse whether or not we can make your home safer and you will either receive a FREE Home Safety Check or Home Safety Information Pack, containing a leaflet on safety and a checklist for the home.