No family is an island, and it is likely that your participation in your community’s efforts to stay fire-safe can benefit you as well as your neighbours. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some ways this can be achieved. Please note that this article is targeted at UK residents only, and please refer to your local services for advice tailored to your community. Prevention is our most valuable fire safety tool and can be developed anywhere.

Home Fire Safety Visits

Depending on where you live in the UK and your personal circumstances, you may be able to book a Home Fire Safety Visit with a member of your local fire service.

If you have an in-person visit, someone will visit your home at the arranged time and share their expertise. The visit is friendly and informal, and, after a chat about fire prevention, they'll ask for a tour of your home so they can make a proper fire risk assessment and provide you with advice to suit your property and contents, as well as some of your health and lifestyle needs (e.g., if you are a smoker or have a mobility issue). You should try to be as transparent with them as possible in order to get the best possible advice. Remember that they will have encountered many homes and people and are there to keep you informed and safe, not to judge you.

Here are some key things they’ll consider:

Cooking and smoking
Heaters and heating
Candles and fireplaces
Electrics and charging
Detection systems (including the presence and condition of your smoke and heat alarms)
Bedtime checks
What you can do if there is a fire
If they can install free smoke alarms for you

Getting extra help and support

Depending on your personal circumstances, they may also suggest extra help and support from other organisations. This could be to discuss things like fire-retardant bedding or linking a smoke alarm to your Telecare system.

Stay mindful of your service’s community efforts.

The responsibility for making a child’s home fire-safe lies with parents and caregivers. However, it’s important to remember that your local fire service is a part of your community, especially as technology can make us more isolated from what’s happening outside our own lives. Fire brigades work to keep every member of your family safe and informed of potential risks. They visit public events such as church fairs and flower shows to share advice about the impact of climate change and extreme weather conditions like ice and floods. They raise the alarm about the manufacture of faulty white goods and unsafe building practices, as well as campaigning against nuisance 999 calls and posting camera phone footage of emergencies on social media. While not all of their efforts might seem directly applicable to you or your family, we live in an increasingly connected world where they can protect you in an untold number of ways.

Check what they’re doing at your child’s school.

If you have a child in primary or secondary education, their school is entitled to book visits from specially trained officers who will help their class understand fire risks and how to keep themselves safe in an accessible and age-appropriate way. They host workshops and use their training, experience, and expertise to deliver fire safety messages with sensitive and reassuring language so children understand the importance of home fire safety without becoming panicked about a fire happening. They should also be trained to accommodate children with special needs. In addition, your local fire station may host open days for local residents where your children can meet their community’s team and learn more about where they work.

Your local fire service can also provide advice on how to deal effectively with a child or young person who takes an unhealthy interest in fire and firestarting, including participating in or advising on an intervention if necessary.

What if my child wants to join the fire brigade?

A young person aged 13–17 can apply to be a fire cadet. This is the closest they’ll get to becoming a firefighter before they’re 18 and old enough to apply. From doing drills to climbing ladders and shimmying through tunnels, they do lots of practical exercises that real firefighters do. They’ll also learn about fire safety and prevention.

The Fire Cadets is a nationally recognised programme, and while doing cadet activities, your child can achieve:

BTEC Level 2 Award in Fire and Rescue Services in the Community
BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Fire and Rescue Services in the Community
BTEC Level 2: Teamwork and Personal Development in the Community.

Very sweetly, and according to the London Fire Brigade website, firefighters say the fire service is a bit like a family (in a good way!) and that their cadets are 100% part of the Brigade.

How can I make my community fire-safe?

Your family can help to protect your entire community from fire.