STOPPING smoking has plenty of health benefits, but it can also make your home safer.
That’s the message from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service in a bid to cut down on house fires caused by smoking.
It says that cigarettes, vapes, pipes and other smoking products are responsible for more people dying in a blaze than any other item.
And the best way to avoid the fire risk is to stop smoking.
The Reading-based service says the NHS has many programmes available to help people wanting to quit for good, many of which are free.
But anyway who is still a smoker can follow some simple steps to try and reduce the risk of seeing smoking lead to your home going up in smoke.
They include never smoking in bed, ensuring a cigarette is always fully extinguished, and never leave lit items unattended.
Other advice includes testing smoke alarms on a regular basis, and using a heavy ashtray that can’t tip over.
A spokesperson for the fire service said: “Fires ignited by cigarettes or smoking materials result in more fatalities than any other fire. Every smoker should be aware of the risks they take every time they light. The risk of falling asleep before you ‘put it out, right out’ is just too great.
“Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them at least monthly. Working smoke alarms can give you the extra time you need to escape if the worst should happen.”
For more information, log on to: https://www.rbfrs.co.uk/
