​Fire Service industrial action becoming a regular event, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) is asking people in the county to minimise the risks of fire and avoid making unnecessary 999 calls. The strikes, called by the Fire Brigades' Union (FBU) in response to a dispute with the Government over proposed changes to Firefighter pensions, means Fire Services will be operating a reduced emergency response when industrial action takes place and is going to be unable to provide the comprehensive level of cover residents in Cumbria can usually expect. While 999 calls will be answered as normal, the response to incidents where life is considered to be in danger will be prioritised. Although the Service will try to attend all emergency calls, on occasion some incidents where life is not considered to be at immediate risk such as small fires and automatic fire alarms may receive a reduced or even no response.

It's therefore vital that residents do all they can to prevent fires breaking out.

Here at Ultimate we would like to pass on some extra fire safety steps to help protect you and your loved ones when the firefighters are on strike.

There are a couple of simple steps you can take that will reduce the risk of a fire starting, or limit its impact if a fire does start.

– Make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and that you regularly check the batteries are working. A smoke alarm will provide an early warning of a fire allowing you and your loved ones to escape, but only if the batteries are working.

– More than half of all accidental dwelling fires attended by CFRS start in the kitchen. Never leave cooking unattended.

– Check your electrical appliances – turn them off and don't overload sockets

– If you smoke, put cigarettes out properly, do not smoke in bed or while sleepy.

– Plan and practice your escape route so that in the event of a fire in your home everyone knows how to get out safely.

Be mindful of your responsibilities during periods of strike action the Fire Service may not be able to respond to fire safety enquiries within its usual time scales. It remains the responsibility of employers, landlords and other premises occupiers to comply with fire safety law.

Your businesses emergency escape plan should not rely on Fire and Rescue Service involvement for it to be effective. Any and all actions that are required to keep people safe in the premises, to move them to places of relative safety or to complete a full evacuation must be within your resources.

In advance of any strike, responsible persons, business owners, employers and managers should ensure that:

– The fire risk assessment for the premises is reviewed up to date and effective

– Measures to reduce the risk of fire are in place and are working

– Fire precautions in the building are working

– The premises emergency plan is up to date and appropriate to ensure evacuation in case of fire

– Your emergency plan should not rely on fire and rescue service involvement for it to be effective

– All staff know what to do in case of fire

– At no time should anybody put themselves in danger

You should continue to call 999 but remember that unnecessary calls should be avoided at all costs, calls will be prioritised but the usual level of response will not be available during strike action.

Should you need further advice on on Fire Safety Precautions and Planning for your business please call Simon At Ultimate Security on 01228 513345 or mobile on 07917 372517.