Fire safety in your home.

It is important that everyone minimises the risk of fire in their home and knows what to do if a fire should start. Being visually impaired can make this more difficult.

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service offer a free Safe and Well check to eligible residents, and as a blind or visually impaired person you are entitled to this check.

What is a Safe and Well check?
Once you have arranged for a Safe and Well check a member of the team will visit you in your home, they will show you their Service ID cards before entering your home.

During the visit they will:

• Ask a series of fire risk assessment questions
• Check each room of your property to identify any potential hazards
• Check that you have working smoke alarms on each level of your home and where appropriate, fit free ten-year smoke alarms
• Provide fire safety advice and show you how to test your smoke alarms
• Work with you to create an escape plan for you and your family
• Provide advice, signpost or refer you to  partner agencies that can support you with health or wellbeing needs 
• If you are living with a hearing impairment too, the crew will be able to provide the right support for you at the assessment. You can highlight this need on the request form.

The key areas the fire crew will be looking at are  cooking risks, heating risks, and risks if you smoke in your home. They can  also make sure you have carbon monoxide detectors if needed. There are a wide range of solutions to improve the fire safety  in your home. These include vibrating smoke alarm pads that can be placed under your pillow and fire safe bedding. The crew can discuss this with you. Once the check is complete the crew will help you action any changes and also provide large print information.

If you would like to request a Safe and Well check you can either complete the form on the Royal
Berkshire Fire Service Website:
www.rbfrs.co.uk/your-safety/
safety-at-home/book-a-safe-andwell-visit/are-you-a-resident/

Or your Sight Loss Support Officer can help you fill out the form or refer you.