Power Up the Festive Season Safely

East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service supporting Electrical Fire Safety Week

As the festive season approaches, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is supporting Electrical Fire Safety Week by offering practical advice and encouraging responsible habits when using electrical items either at home or in the workplace.

Over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity. And nine out of ten electrical fires are caused by electrical products.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will be encouraging members of the public to consider their choices carefully before purchasing e-bikes, e-scooters or batteries, promoting safe battery disposal, and emphasising key electrical fire safety messages ahead of the Christmas period.

Electrical Fire Safety tips this Christmas:

• Never use heaters to dry clothes.  Families worried about their energy bills may turn to electric heaters this winter. Heaters can start fires when things are placed too close to them.  Keep them well away from decorations, curtains, clothing, and furniture.

• Don’t overload sockets. Ensure only one plug per socket.  Always turn off plugs when they are not in use, except those that are designed to be left on, like freezers.

• Ensure you switch off fairy lights and unplug them before you go to bed or leave the house. Check your Christmas tree lights conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598) and are in good working order before use.

• Always use an RCD (residual current device) on outdoor electrical equipment, including Christmas lights and decorations. This safety device can save lives by instantly switching off the power if there is a fault and can be found in any DIY store.

• Ensure you have working smoke alarms installed on all levels of your home. Working alarms can give you the vital time needed to escape in a fire. Test your smoke alarms regularly.

• Make sure everyone in your home knows what to do in a fire – in the event of fire you should get out, stay out and call 999