Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service urges people to stay safe & warm this winter

Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service has joined forces with energy networks Electricity North West and Cadent, as well as partners including Lancashire Age UK to encourage residents to be safe when heating homes this winter.

It comes as the rise in the cost of living may see households use alternate methods to heat their home, including gas or open fires, log burners or electric heaters.

The ‘Be Safe & Save’ campaign sees funding from the electricity and gas network operators support the Fire & Rescue Service and Age UK to raise awareness of the risks of using these appliances, share guidance on how to use them safely, and how to keep them maintained.

The advice includes:

• Gas heaters and fires should be well ventilated, maintained regularly and a carbon monoxide alarm should be placed in the room in case of any functional problems and to keep the household safe and healthy.

• Residents who plan to use open fires and log burners should use fireguards to prevent embers spreading to flammable items, while the chimney should also be swept regularly.

• Electric heaters should be kept in good working order and kept away from flammable materials.

• Outdoor heaters, barbeques, hobs or ovens should not be used to keep a room warm and, if gas-powered, pose a carbon monoxide poisoning risk.

• Everyone should ensure they have working smoke alarms – at least one on each level of the home.

Kirsty McCreesh, Group Manager for Prevention at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service: “It’s really important that we all cope safely with the rise in the cost of living and we don’t put ourselves or our loved ones at risk. Working collaboratively with Electricity North West, Cadent and Age UK will enable us to encourage people to save safely, be energy efficient and reduce the risk of fire risks in the home.”

Paul Morris, Customer Welfare Team Manager at Electricity North West: “We’re pleased to be joining together with Cadent, Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service and Lancashire Age UK to ensure the local community, and especially those in the most vulnerable circumstances, have the support and guidance they need this winter.”

Phil Burrows, Head of Customer Vulnerability Social Programme Delivery at Cadent: “Cadent are delighted to be part of this essential project that will help people remain safe, independent and warm in their homes. It is so important that we highlight the dangers to our customers of using unsafe methods to heat their home during this current fuel crisis and also help raise awareness of the dangers of the silent killer, carbon monoxide.”

LFRS is working with a range of partners to protect the most vulnerable members of the community and raise awareness of the fire and carbon monoxide risk associated with finding alternative ways to cook and heat the home. See ways you can stay safe while saving on our website.

We also encourage people to register for a home fire safety check for themselves or their loved ones. By answering a few simple questions, it will provide fire safety advice specific to you and tips on how to keep you and your household safe from fire. For those most at risk, we can visit the home to provide help and advice.

Register online at www.lancsfirerescue.org.uk/contact-us/home-fire-safety/ or call 0800 169 1125.