Firefighters urge students to stay safe
Firefighters urge students to stay safe this Freshers Week across South Wales.
The warning comes as thousands of new students head off to universities across South Wales as Freshers Week begins. For many it’s a first taste of independence as they fly the nest and go it solo, living in halls of residence or university digs.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service are urging students to take extra care and be mindful in the hope to reduce the number of accidental fires and avoid putting themselves and their new housemates in danger!
In the past eight weeks our crews have attended over 80 house fires with cooking and faulty electrical equipment being the main causes. In Wales, up to 40% of fires start in the kitchen, this places an increased demand on our firefighters and could potentially lead to tragic consequences. Please take extra care whilst cooking, don’t get distracted or cook whilst under the influence, in a matter of seconds a fire can spread and become out of control. Electrical fires are another main cause of accidental fires within homes, with firefighters attending over 600 fires in the past three years, with causes ranging from electrical faults, poor maintenance or the product overheating.
Head of Community Safety and Risk Reduction for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Group Manager Dean Loader says: “Starting university is an exciting time for everyone, and we’re mindful not to spoil the fun, however living independently means taking on a lot more responsibility. Living in student halls can be great fun but to keep you safe we have compiled some safety tips to help reduce the risk of a fire wherever you are living during term time. We’re asking all students to please read through all of our safety tips carefully, stay safe and look after each other. In an emergency always dial 999.”
When you arrive:
Cooking
Candles
Smoking
E-cigarettes
Know your rights
In all properties the landlord must;
If you have concerns regarding Fire Safety contact South Wales Fire and Rescue Service you can report a fire safety concern online or ring 01443 232716 during normal office hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
For further fire safety information visit our Student Fire Safety page; https://www.southwales-fire.gov.uk/your-safety-wellbeing/at-home/student-fire-safety/.
Also follow us on Twitter @SWFireandRescue where we will be posting student safety messages using #Freshers2020
Alternatively check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com/SWFireandRescue.