Attending fires

Fire safety at home

Smoke alarms

A smoke alarm is a warning device that detects smoke at the earliest stages of fire.  Without a smoke alarm you are putting yourself and your property at an unnecessary risk.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has a free scheme available to residents living within the Greater Manchester area. After completion of a simple form, a "Home Fire Risk Assessment" can be carried out, where we provide as many ten year battery smoke alarms as necessary, do a room by room safety check and explain escape plans for your property.

You can apply for this service by telephoning 0800 555 815 or by clicking on the link below and going to the section on Home Fire Risk Assessment.

Greater Manchester Fire

Fire safety advice:

  • Fit a smoke alarm on each floor of where you live.
  • Make a fire action plan so that everyone in the house knows how to escape.
  • never leave cooking or candles unnattended.
  • Stub out cigarettes properly and never smoke in bed.
  • Keep matches and lighters away from children.
  • Take care when you have been drinking alcohol.
  • Do not attempt to tackle a blaze yourself.

Get Out, Stay Out and Call Us Out!

Preventing fires

Fire Prevention Advice:

  • Make regular checks around the house for potential hazards.
  • Turn appliances off before going to bed.
  • Keep doors closed.
  • Never leave cooking unattended (Chip pan fires kill!!).
  • Do not overfill chip pans with oil (1/3 full) and dry chips thoroughly before frying.
  • Be aware that 60 per cent of domestic fires start in the kitchen.
  • Know where your keys are, so you can use them to escape.
  • Keep wheelie bins and rubbish away from your house to prevent unnecessary fires spreading to your house.
Be a good neighbour

Check your neighbours are safe especially if they are elderly.

Malicious calls

Fire engines cannot be in two places at once. In a fire seconds count and lives are being put at risk.  All 999 telephone calls are recorded. The tapes can be handed over to the Police for prosecution purposes.  Convicted malicious callers face a fine of £2,500 and/or three months imprisonment.

If you require help or information on Home Fire Safety then use the email link below and a member of the safety team will respond to you as quickly as possible.

Fire safety and businesses

New fire safety rules affecting all non-domestic premises in England and Wales came into force on 1 October 2006.

The Order applies to vitually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure and open space. It does not apply to private dwellings, including individual flats in a block or house.

If you need more practical advice or information after you have carried out your fire risk assessment, your Fire and Rescue Service may be able to help you.

You can obtain guides, suitable for your type of premises, from good bookshops or by downloading them from the internet.  Please use the external links to access information to download.

Downloadable documents

F.I.R.E.F.L.Y - Fire Service Interaction Responding with Education for the Future Lives of Young People

FIRELFLY(848pdf)

F.A.C.E. - Fire Awareness Child Education

FACE(128kb)

Please note that this service is not provided by Rochdale Borough Council it is provided by Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. Further information is available on their website.