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News : Don’t Drown in Toxic Smoke
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Major new Government campaign launches on 5 October.
This is the stark message being delivered by RBFRS in support of the new national “Fire Kills” advertising campaign from the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Even a single breath of toxic smoke will affect your ability to breathe - just as dramatically as inhaling water - as shown in the new advert. Just two or three breaths of smoke in a house fire and you’re unconscious.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to make a long term behavioural change, so that weekly testing of their smoke alarms becomes a habit.
New survey results from the Fire Kills campaign show that people vastly underestimate the impact of toxic smoke – with potentially fatal consequences. Of those surveyed in the South East:
Although 91% of those surveyed own smoke alarms, 72% admit to not testing them every week. This is despite the fact that you are more than twice as likely to die in an accidental house fire if you do not have a working smoke alarm.
The advertising campaign dramatically shows how quickly toxic smoke can impact on the human body. A sleeping couple are shown being overcome by the drowning sensation of toxic smoke when a fire breaks out in their home at night. The ground-breaking television campaign will run in England from 5 October 2009 to March 2010 and is complemented by print, radio and digital advertising.
There are five key things you can do to protect your home and family from fire:
This is the stark message being delivered by RBFRS in support of the new national “Fire Kills” advertising campaign from the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Even a single breath of toxic smoke will affect your ability to breathe - just as dramatically as inhaling water - as shown in the new advert. Just two or three breaths of smoke in a house fire and you’re unconscious.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to make a long term behavioural change, so that weekly testing of their smoke alarms becomes a habit.
New survey results from the Fire Kills campaign show that people vastly underestimate the impact of toxic smoke – with potentially fatal consequences. Of those surveyed in the South East:
- 39% believe they could survive for more than two minutes in a smoke-filled room.
- 50% think they would be alerted to a fire by the smell of the smoke.
- 17% believe a pet (e.g. their dog barking) or someone else would alert them to a house fire.
Although 91% of those surveyed own smoke alarms, 72% admit to not testing them every week. This is despite the fact that you are more than twice as likely to die in an accidental house fire if you do not have a working smoke alarm.
The advertising campaign dramatically shows how quickly toxic smoke can impact on the human body. A sleeping couple are shown being overcome by the drowning sensation of toxic smoke when a fire breaks out in their home at night. The ground-breaking television campaign will run in England from 5 October 2009 to March 2010 and is complemented by print, radio and digital advertising.
There are five key things you can do to protect your home and family from fire:
- Fit a smoke alarm on each level of your home. When a fire starts, there is little time to escape, so early warning is vital.
- Test smoke alarms weekly. A smoke alarm can only alert you to a fire if it’s working.
- Plan your escape route. Make sure you and your family know the quickest way out of the house in the event of fire. Consider an alternative route in case your usual one is blocked.
- Stay safe in the kitchen. This is where most house fires start – never leave cooking unattended.
- Ask the experts. RBFRS offers free Home Fire Safety Checks to identify potential fire risks and advise what to do to reduce or prevent them. This service also includes the installation of free smoke alarms where necessary. Call 0800 587 6679 or email community.safety@rbfrs.co.uk to book yours.
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