WITH more people staying at home currently, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service is asking everyone to be extra careful, to avoid fires happening in the first place.

The service is calling for people to think about basic fire safety in the home and to take action and avoid becoming a further casualty for the hard pressed NHS.

“We know that there are large numbers of people at home now due to the pandemic and whether they are self-isolating, working from home or looking after children, we want to encourage people to think about basic fire safety in the home,” said Group Commander George Marshall.

“Working smoke alarms save lives.

“The majority of homes across the country now have an alarm fitted, but do you know if they are working? We want people to test the alarms on a weekly basis.

“We are spending more time at home now, so there is no excuse to not have working smoke alarms and to not be testing them regularly.”