#SaveSafely this winter

With living costs rising all the time, everyone is looking for ways to save some money, so Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is highlighting some areas where a saving could be a false economy – and a fire risk.

The Service is asking people to #SaveSafely, and there is a wealth of information about staying safe at home and on the roads at www.dwfire.org.uk/save-safely. This includes energy saving tips, cooking safely advice, how to stay warm safely, staying safe when cutting costs, cutting the costs of driving, and signposting to financial help.

Some top tips include:

• Pulling something like electric heaters or electric blankets out of the loft, that haven’t been used for years, can be risky. Watch for signs of dangerous or loose wiring, such as scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, fuses that often blow, or circuit breakers that trip for no obvious reasons.
• If you’re drying clothes indoors rather than use a tumble dryer, keep them well away from the heat source so they can’t catch fire.
• Air fryers and microwave ovens are great at saving energy when cooking, but please read the manufacturer’s instructions and keep them clean between uses.
• Getting chimneys swept when you have a woodburner or open fire is essential to reduce the risk of chimney fires. Also be careful of what you burn; green (unseasoned) wood may seem cheap, but it doesn’t create much heat and it creates a residue that can easily catch alight within the chimney.
• Get your boiler serviced – a well maintained boiler is more efficient and reduces the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Only use the correct charger for mobile devices. Although it can be cheaper to buy imported and unofficial chargers, fake ones are often made with poor quality components that fail to meet UK safety regulations. This means they can cause injury, electric shocks and even fires.
• Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using wheat bags – don’t heat them for too long, or at too high a temperature.

The Fire and Rescue Service offers free Safe & Well advice, which can include a home visit and the provision of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. To request this for yourself, a family member or a vulnerable person, please call 0800 038 2323 or visit www.dwfire.org.uk/safe-and-well-visits