Chicktastic Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Hi, going on from a post about carbon monoxide detectors, just wondered if your local fire service does the same as mine??? I got tipped off by a friend so rang my local fire service about smoke alarms. I rang in the morning and by the afternoon I had a fire engine parked outside my house and 4 firemen in my house doing a home risk assessment. I already had a smoke alarm but they still fitted 2 free smoke alarms in the correct places which have 10 year batteries in them!!! They were more than happy for the children to have a look round the engine and play with the lights etc!!!! Great service and might be worth ringing your local station to see if they do a similar thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Ooh sounds worth it especially if I get a housefull of firemen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 I'd better start cleaning everything. Oh boyohboyohboy. Unfortunately the firemen here are all volunteers. Not quite the same really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 OOoo, might have to exploit that one! I have a very hunky fireman living next door to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 *dials local fire brigade* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Seriously though, I am getting all mine hard-wired in when the kitchen is finished... saves having to check the batteries monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Ooh sounds worth it especially if I get a housefull of firemen I'd go for that too, but I think DH might object Actually, we have ours all hard wired into the burglar alarm system. Saves having to change the batteries. DH also checks them regularly. I used to test them regularly too, when I had the old cooker that was a bit smoky - now I have the new one we'll have to check them properly LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 mine are all mains now with battery back up as had them done when I ahd the house re-wired, including a heat one in the kitchen... do you think I could get them round to inspect them??? ooh blast Christians jammed the phone line..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Seriously though, I am getting all mine hard-wired in when the kitchen is finished... saves having to check the batteries monthly. I have a fire angel, it fits onto a light fitting and takes a charge when you put the light on, so is always working even if the power goes down(such as in a fire ) If it doesn't get enough charge, it will beep so you just put the light on for 10 minutes My neighbour had the fire brigade round a few years ago to fit free smoke alarms. She was mightily embarrassed that they turned up in a fire engine, I can tell you! Especially when everyone else came out of their houses to see where the fire was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 It's certainly good to hear so many taking smoke alarms seriously, but it got me wondering. How many of you with smoke detectors have a plan for what to do if the alarm actually went off? And do all the family know what that plan is? Have any of you tested the plan to see if it's practical? Not a trick question or a leading one; I'm just interested to know how many people are actually properly prepared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 yup we have plan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Us too, I have been through it with Rosie countless times. I've also given her basic first aid training so that she wouldn't panic in an emergency..... bearing in mind that it's usually just the two of us. She knows what to do it anything should happen to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busybird Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Although we have smoke alarms hard wired in on every floor with battery backups I hadn't considered an 'escape plan' until my two elder children drew one up for a badge at Scouts They took us all through the best way for each of us to escape, depending on where the fire started, and how to check that everyone was safely out. Before they go to bed at night they still make sure that a path has been cleared through the debris that litters their bedroom floors so that a quick exit can be made in the dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 I think it's a brilliant idea and we always talked about escape plans and how they should drop out of windows and not jump. At least it's a good idea unless you get it wrong like I did and the poor things believed they were going to be burnt to death in their sleep. I hadn't thought about it many years though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 When I renovated my house and had new windows put in I made sure all my upstairs windows were half opening, the half which opens is the bottom half. They are not the proper fire escape windows, but are all create a big enough gap to get a person through when pushed wide open, smallest opening upstairs is 2' x3'. I also have no letterbox in my front door, as I had a friend many years ago who lived in inner City Birmingham and was subjected to racist arson attacks where they push a lit rag through your letterbox. My letterbox is in the porch which has a tiled floor, so no direct source of fuel for burning (post falls against a brick wall). I also have my mobile phone with me in my bedroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Ladies! Ladies! All this excitement and breathlessness from the mere mention of firefighters! As someone who is married to one (although he drives a desk these days at his rank) I have to say, you are putting the Fire Service's equality and diversity policy back decades! They have been working hard to quash the sexy hunky male hero stereotype to reflect their modern status, and here you all are getting excited over the prospect of uniforms and hoses! Tsk Tsk! Unfortunately the reality is sadly not that exciting - round here there are plenty of lovely but paunchy middle aged firefighters with receding hairlines (who are nevertheless excellent firefighters!!!) but not quite what you have all probably got in mind! On a more serious note, wherever you are in the country if you ring your local station you can request a home fire safety check, and if required have smoke detectors fitted free. If you have any elderly or disabled relatives or neighbours who would benefit from this, please let them know. And yes, you should have an emergency plan that all the family are familiar with and which you should practice with your kids regularly, including wearing blindfolds (but not all of you at the same time for health and safety reasons!) as in a real fire the smoke is usually so thick you cannot see anything and you become completely disorientated. Can make quite a fun family activity actually! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 It's definitely the hose that does it. Forget the uniform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahJo Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Have been collared by new elderly neighbours, as they had a strange beeping noise in the house. Went and saw they had taken down the smoke detectors - which were dead anyway - then discovered it was the carbon monoxide detector beeping. Took said detector off wall - opened the cover for details and had them ring B.Gas. Give the gas board their due they were round within 30mins. I also insisted they phone local firestation for new smoke alarms We have alarms all over the house and carbon monoxide - boys know what to do incase either of these go off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyfeet Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 It's definitely the hose that does it. Forget the uniform. A recently divorced friend of mine heard about this service and requested a visit, mainly for the smoke alarms and also so that her 8 year old could sit in the 'appliance'. They were there for quite a while, and at a later date she ended up going for a meal/drink with one of them - Bonus! He even popped round at Christmas just to say Hello and gave her a really expensive bottle of Champagne - Double Bonus! I used to work in a Psychiatric Unit and the 'clients' would regularly set off the fire alarms, at which point most of the female staff would for some reason or another, end up in the main reception area - how very strange! DAwn x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 I had a client ring me one night to rescue her dog who had managed to get its feet stuck under floorboards. There was no way I could do it so I suggested she phone the fire brigade. The station was just round the corner. This dog was a TV star at the time and quite famous. THREE tenders arrived with blues and twos. All those firemen ............. wonderful. There wasn't a nasty word. They all said it was quiet and it was great to be on a shout with no fire PS. if I remember there wasn't a roly poly tummy to be seen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 You can always tell if the local station is quiet - one of the tenders is outside the fish and chip shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 There's a fire show every year in North Warnborough - in a field just off the M3 Junction 5 (in case anyone wants to go). Usually around 6th August. They have all sorts of fire engines from the times before my great grandfather became one to present day - although they may be called off for an emergency. They have done war time shows with doodlebugs blowing up and them putting out the fire - and the chip pan fire demonstration. Ahem well worth a visit - you can sit in the fire engines too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Although we have smoke alarms hard wired in on every floor with battery backups I hadn't considered an 'escape plan' until my two elder children drew one up for a badge at Scouts They took us all through the best way for each of us to escape, depending on where the fire started, and how to check that everyone was safely out. Before they go to bed at night they still make sure that a path has been cleared through the debris that litters their bedroom floors so that a quick exit can be made in the dark. The company I work for sponsers the Scouts Fire Safety badge, over 40,000 scouts have completed it since it was launched Yes I have an escape plan, working for the company I do I wouldnt dare not have one If hard wiring smoke alarms ensure there is a battery back up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 yup all mine so, can I get a scouts badge now??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 There you go. I prefer the girl scouts one - I think it's supposed to be a chick!: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
