Teach children about fire safety – that is the vital message from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

“Children and young people need to know exactly what to do if fire breaks out in their home,” said Community Fire Safety Officer Rabinder Dhami.

“They must also know how to take sensible precautions to prevent a blaze. There’s nothing more important than the safety of a child in the home. Get into the habit of taking a quick glance around the room for hazards to make safety an automatic reflex and for peace of mind.

Talk to your children about the importance of fire safety and make sure they know what to do if the worst happens.

Fit a smoke alarm and educate children in the importance of and purpose of a smoke alarm. Most importantly a smoke alarm gives you vital seconds you need to escape in an accidental house fire.

Know your escape route
 Make sure your family has a fire escape plan and they practice it regularly. Just taking a few minutes of your time to prepare a fire escape plan for your family could ensure their safety in case of fire,” he said.
Make your home safe for children

Here are some measures you can take in your home to make sure your children stay safe:

• don't leave children on their own in a room where there's a fire risk
• keep matches, lighters and candles in a place where children can't see or reach them - and put child locks on cupboards
• put a child-proof fireguard in front of an open fire or heater
• don't let children play or leave toys near a fire or heater
• keep portable heaters in a safe place where they can't be knocked over when they are being used or stored
• never leave children alone in the kitchen when you're cooking and never let them play near the cooker
• make sure electrical appliances are switched off when they are not being used

Rabinder offered these simple fire safety tips: use fireguards, keep matches and candles out of reach, be safe with electric sockets, don’t let children play near the cooker, teach young children to know their address and how to dial 999 in an emergency.

A key message in case of fire is: Get Out, Stay Out and call 999.

For more advice from Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service, call 01743 260 200.