Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service urge residents to test smoke alarms

Many people see January as an opportunity for a fresh start, and safety should be top of the list.

This month BFRS is encouraging everyone to make sure they have enough smoke alarms in the home and that they work.

A spokesperson, said: “Smoke alarms can give someone the few extra seconds they need to escape in a fire.

“While the majority of homes across the country now have an alarm fitted, most people are not aware that the average alarm has a lifespan of just ten years and then needs replacing.

“For people who live in a multi-storey home or a larger property a single smoke alarm is simply not enough.”

Last year, in nearly half of all fires in the home where the smoke alarm did not give a warning the reason was that the alarm was not close enough to detect the fire.

Missing or flat batteries were another major cause.

Make sure that your alarms are up to date and up to the job.