Fire safety

We make regular inspections of our housing stock. We do this to make sure:

• stairwells and communal area escape routes are kept clear
• fire doors are maintained and functional
• all relevant fire notices are in place and in good condition
• emergency lights are working
• smoke detection systems are working

We also carry out Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) every five years and Landlord Gas Safety Reports (LGSRs) every year.

Our properties also have smoke and heat detectors.

It is important to remember that fires in our independent living schemes are rare.

Make sure you know the fire safety procedures and evacuation plans for your specific property, and contact your independent living manager if you need further information and advice.

You will have a smoke alarm in your flat, make sure you test it regularly.

If a fire breaks out in your building:

• if you are in your flat, stay there if you feel safe
• if you are in a communal or public area, evacuate the building
• if your flat becomes affected by smoke, leave it at once closing your door behind you
• if you have to move through smoke, keep as low as possible where the air is cleaner.

If a fire breaks out in your flat

Do

• alert everyone else and leave the flat, closing doors behind you
• use the stairs to exit – never be tempted to use the lift
• find a phone and call 999 when you are out of the building.

Don’t

• don't open doors looking for the source of the fire
• don't stop to gather personal belongings
• don't go back into the building until you have been told it is safe to do so.

Make sure you know what to do if a fire breaks out so that you can escape as quickly and safely as possible.

It is important to remember that fires in high-rise buildings are rare and that most fires do not spread further than one or two rooms. High rise buildings are designed to contain and prevent a fire from spreading.

Make sure you know the fire safety procedures and evacuation plans for your specific property as the layout and safety plans may differ, depending on a range of factors including the design of the building.

Make sure you test your smoke alarm regularly.

If a fire breaks out in your flat:

Do:

• inform everyone and leave the flat, closing doors behind you
• use the stairs to leave the building – never be tempted to use the lift
• call 999 when you are out of the building.

Don't

• don't open doors looking for the source of the fire
• don't stop to gather your personal belongings
• don't use a balcony to escape unless it is part of the official escape route
• don't re-enter the building until you have been told it is safe to do so.

If a fire breaks out elsewhere in the building

• follow the evacuation plan for your building
• if your flat becomes affected by smoke, leave at once, closing windows and doors behind you
• if you have to leave the building, use the staircase and never the lift
• if you have to move through smoke, keep as low as possible where the air is cleaner.

Make sure everyone you live with knows what to do if a fire breaks out so you can all escape as quickly and safely as possible.

Fire safety tips

Your flat:

• close the fire doors between rooms, don’t prop them open
• do not cover or dismantle your smoke alarm
• give us access to your flat if we need to repair your smoke alarm
• do not cook under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• never throw water on a chip pan
• do not overload electrical sockets
• do not keep petrol or flammables in your flat or on your balcony.

Your block:

• do not block fire escapes or communal areas with personal items such as bikes, mobility scooters or prams
• keep your front door closed if you open up onto an internal communal area, for example a staircase or corridor
• do not smoke in internal communal areas or blocks
• do not have a barbecue on your balcony
• put your rubbish in the bin areas provided rather than leaving it in communal areas
• do not dump large household items in communal or bin areas.

Did you know?

• you are more than twice as likely to die in a fire at home if you do not have a working smoke alarm fitted
• 18 people die each year because the battery in their smoke alarm was flat or missing.

Test your smoke alarm

Remember to test the batteries in your smoke alarm once a week.

If you have a smoke alarm that is wired in (doesn't have batteries) and it isn’t working, please report it to us.

• Report a repair

How to test your battery operated alarm:

• press the test button until the alarm sounds
• if it doesn’t sound try cleaning it and test again
• if it still doesn’t sound you need to change the battery - if it’s still not working, you need to replace the whole alarm
• if your smoke alarm starts to beep on a regular basis you need to change the battery straight away.

How to change the battery:

• open the alarm by taking off the cover and unclip the battery
• clip the new battery firmly into place and make sure you put the battery back in the same way round as the old one
• close the alarm and press the test button to check it’s working.

If you are hard of hearing, you can get strobe light and vibrating-pad smoke alarms.

Contact the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) for more information.

• Get in touch with RNID (opens in new tab)

If you do not have a smoke alarm please call Kent Fire and Rescue's home safety advice team.

• email: home@kent.fire-uk.org
• phone: 0800 923 7000

Everyone in your home should know what to do if a fire breaks out so you can all escape quickly and safely. Make sure you have an escape plan in place and everyone understands it.

Keep passages and stairways clear of rubbish bags, prams, bikes, mobility scooters and furniture. Smoke makes it hard to see and obstacles can slow people down when trying to escape.

Electrical goods

• electrical items can cause fires if they’re faulty or used incorrectly
• use USB chargers for vapes, smartphones, tablets and laptops according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• look out for warning signs such as flickering lights, hot plugs or worn cables
• switch off electrical equipment when not in use (this helps reduce energy bills too).

Smoking

• never leave lit cigarettes unattended and always make sure they’re fully stubbed out
• never smoke in bed
• keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach.

Fires and candles

• use fireguards around open fires.
• be careful with candles and never leave them, or any naked flame, unattended.

Cooking

• never leave cooking unattended
• do not fill a chip pan more than one‑third full of oil or fat.

Portable heating

• never use heaters to dry clothes
• make sure heaters are placed on a stable surface.

Safe storage

• store motorcycles, petrol cans and other flammable items in a safe store or garage, not inside your home.

Before you go to bed

• unplug all portable heaters
• make sure all cigarettes are fully out - if you’re unsure, leave ashtrays outside
• close all internal doors to slow the spread of fire and smoke should a fire start overnight.

Visit Kent Fire and Rescue Service's website for more fire safety tips (opens in new tab)

Do you have mobility or serious health issues, are you deaf, a smoker, older, or do you have children under five?

If you are interested in receiving a free home and safety check from Kent Fire and Rescue (KFR), you can do this by contacting them.

• email: www.kent.fire-uk.org/hfsv (opens in new tab)
• phone: 0800 923 7000

Mobility scooters contain flammable and combustible batteries which can pose a fire risk, not to mention the risk of obstruction.

We have responsibility to ensure high standards of health and safety within blocks of flats so we have set out some rules to keep you safe, in line with national guidelines and your Tenancy Agreement.

If you live in a block and would like a mobility scooter, you must obtain permission to store and charge it. Please contact us before purchasing a mobility scooter so that we can help and advise you.

Read our Mobility Scooter Policy to see what is allowed depending on where you live.

• Read our Mobility Scooter Policy

Almost half of all fires that happen in the home are caused by electricity. There are simple steps you can take to keep you and your family safe.

• don’t plug too many appliances into electrical sockets - you can use this easy online calculator to check if you’re overloading your sockets (opens in new tab)
• don’t use electrical appliances in the UK that were made to be used in other countries - they might operate at a different voltage, so they could overheat the plug or cable
• when you buy an electrical appliance, check it has a CE mark - this shows that the appliance meets European safety standards
• don’t repair damaged electrical wiring or appliances yourself
• don’t take mains-powered electrical items into the bathroom
• don’t touch electrical appliances or switches with wet hands
• don’t plug adaptors into other adaptors
• don’t store personal items in electricity meter cupboards.

Second-hand electrical appliances

Before you buy a second-hand appliance, we recommend you check that:

• a qualified electrician has run safety checks on it
• the manufacturer hasn’t issued a safety recall for it.