Smoke alarms

Fit a smoke alarm. This fire safety measure could save your life. You can get one for under £5 from a DIY, electrical or hardware shop. Some garages and supermarkets also sell them.

Push the button! Not your luck!

We're backing the government campaign - Push the button! Not your luck! - to remind you to test your smoke alarms and smoke alarm batteries. Around 80% of homes now have a smoke alarm, but there's no point in having one if it doesn't work.

In 2002, firefighters in England and Wales attended over 5,000 accidental house fires where alarms were fitted but failed to work. Find out more about the campaign on the DCLG's website (formerly ODPM).

Follow our simple tips for buying and fitting a smoke alarm:

• Buy a smoke alarm that complies with the British Standard or equivalent international standard.
• Follow the manufacturers' instructions to fit it.
• Fit the alarm between the living areas and the bedrooms. Ideally, you should fit one in every room except the kitchen and bathroom.
• Make sure you can hear it throughout your home, especially in the bedrooms.
• Test your smoke alarm each week by using the test button.
• Change the battery every year or when you need to.
• At the same time, use your vacuum cleaner to get rid of any dust inside it.
• Replace the battery in your smoke alarm if the low battery warning sounds (an intermittent bleep)  - replace the battery with a new one as soon as you can.

Free home fire safety checks

We're offering free home fire safety checks in your borough and free smoke alarms to those people who need them. Find out more about our Be Safe Sound campaign.

Smoke alarms for the deaf

You can also buy smoke alarms that have a vibrating pad or a flashing light if you have difficulty hearing. You can get more information from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf on 020 7296 8000.

Send an ecard

Why not send your friends and family a reminder to buy a smoke alarm by sending them an ecard? It might help to save their lives! 

Remember a smoke alarm is useless if it doesn't have a battery or the battery is flat.

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