Be safe & Save Campaign

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service wants to help you to save money safely when cutting costs in response to the rising cost of living. That’s why we’ve created our Be Safe and Save campaign to share our energy saving tips while helping to keep you safe, warm and well and reduce your fire risk.

We are working closely with partners such as Cadent Gas, Age UK and Electricity North West to give access to support and advice on energy saving measures for those who need it this winter. We can help refer people to partner agencies and ensure homes have suitable smoke detection and advice. You can register for a Home Fire Safety Check here.

If you’re thinking about doing things differently at home to bring down the price of energy bills, it’s important to remember do so safely. This can include thinking about the hazards that come with changing your usual routine.

Everyone can help to try and prevent fires. One important and essential thing to do is to fit a working smoke alarm on every floor of your property so you’re alerted quickly if there were a fire.

Energy saving tips

Check out our tips to keep costs down while heating your home safely:

Stay safe & warm
While you may be looking to save money on energy bills, it’s important for everyone to be sufficiently warm to stay well – particularly babies, older people and people with a health condition. The NHS suggests homes should ideally be at least 18 degrees during the winter.
Heat the body, not the home
Try setting yourself a challenge to delay when you start regularly using your central heating. Most people have a set time of year when they feel it’s acceptable to start reaching for the thermostat, but why not consider delaying that by a month or so and opting to layer up your clothing/blankets instead to help save money?
Set the timer
When you need to use your central heating more regularly, check if your system has a timer function.

The timer can be used to switch your heating on an off so that you use it less. For example, turning your heating on just for the coldest parts of the day, such as a few hours in the evening and in the morning when you’re waking up means you won’t forget to turn it off and it will help to save you money.
Heat individual rooms
If you’re able to switch individual radiators off in your home, save money by turning off those in spaces that aren’t often used, only keeping radiators switched on in the rooms you use most.

Heating Hazards

If you are looking for alternative ways to stay warm, it’s important to know the hazards and how to reduce your fire risk.

Only use heaters that are in good working order and keep them a safe distance from combustible materials. Check electric blankets for wear and tear and get them serviced each year.

Use fire guards to prevent embers igniting nearby combustibles. Keep the chimney swept regularly and don’t sit or stand too close.

Avoid overheating wheat bags in the microwave by following the instruction on the packaging exactly.

Candles should be secured in proper holders, away from materials that can catch fire. Never leave lit candles unattended.

Carbon monoxide can be given off by any appliance which burns a fossil fuel such as gas, coal or oil. It can enter your room if your appliance is faulty, or if the room is not properly ventilated, or the chimney or flue is blocked.

Electric heaters & blankets
Electric heaters

Only use heaters that are in good working order and keep them a safe distance from combustible materials.
- Make sure they are in good working order, have ‘feet’ attached to lift the base off the floor, and get them serviced regularly
- Keep them well away from furniture, curtains, clothes, plants or anything else that could catch fire
- when using electricity and electrical appliances, it’s very important to make sure you don’t overload sockets. Try out the ‘Socket Overload Calculator’ to see if you’re using electricity safely
Electric blankets
- Check your electric blanket for wear and tear and if it is worn, replace it before use
- Get it serviced at least once a year
- Make sure it has safety features including automatic switch-off at a certain temperature or after a time limit
- If a person suffers from incontinence, remove electric blankets from beds and do not use
- Never use a hot water bottle when using an electric blanket – water and electricity don’t mix
Find more electrical safety tips on the Electrical Safety First website.
Open fires and log burners
Use fire guards to prevent embers igniting nearby combustibles. Keep the chimney swept regularly and don’t sit or stand too close.
- It’s important to make sure your chimneys, fire places and log burning stoves are swept and cleaned before use
- Always use a spark guard, even if you think the fire has died out. Sparks can still unexpectedly shoot out of even a damped-down fire and set fire to your home.
- Avoid drying clothes in front of an open fire – this is a big fire risk!
- Ensure wood, coal and other fuels are stored at a safe distance from the fire.
- Make sure that there is no clutter on or around the fireplace.
Wheat bags & hot water bottles
Wheat bags
- Avoid overheating wheat bags in the microwave by following the instruction on the packaging exactly
- Before grabbing it out of the microwave after heating, check it’s not too hot first by poking it with your finger
Hot water bottles
- Don’t overfill hot water bottles and ensure all air is out of the bottle, screwing the lid on tightly
- Always use a hot water bottle cover to prevent burns
- Never use one at the same time as an electric blanket – water and electricity don’t mix
Candles
Candles should be secured in proper holders, away from materials that can catch fire. Never leave lit candles unattended.
- Candles should be fitted in a candle holder, placed on a non-flammable surface
- Don’t leave them unattended when burning, especially with young children or pets around
- Make sure they aren’t burning close to curtains, bedding, clothing or plants which might catch fire
- Be sure not to place burning candles on window sills or on the floor
- Extinguish all candles before going to bed
- Burning candles shouldn’t be placed anywhere where they might be knocked over or caught in a draught
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide can be given off by any appliance which burns a fossil fuel such as gas, coal or oil. It can enter your room if your appliance is faulty, or if the room is not properly ventilated, or the chimney or flue is blocked.
- Make sure your appliances are safe, have them properly installed and regularly maintained
- Gas appliances must be serviced by engineers who are members of the Gas Safe Register.
- Make sure your home is properly ventilated – never block vents
- Make sure all chimneys and flues are regularly swept and kept clear
- If you are buying a carbon monoxide detector get it from a reputable outlet, such as a DIY store

Be careful when cost-cutting

As prices rise many of us will be looking for cheaper alternatives, including second-hand goods.
Be careful when buying anything second-hand or online and try to buy from reputable retailers where possible.

If buying second-hand electrical goods, check if the product has been recalled and register the appliance online using the model serial number.

Be sure to purchase electrical goods from retailers you know and trust, either from the manufacturer’s website or from a trusted high street name. Beware of fake electrical products that could be unsafe or faulty.

Only use appliances for their intended purpose. Appliances such as ovens, barbecues, hobs and outdoor heaters should not be used to keep a room warm.

If possible, avoid running white goods and charging devices at night or when you are out of the house.

Second-hand products
If buying second-hand electrical goods:
- See if the product has been recalled by using Electrical Safety First’s online product checker
- Check the product has a three-pin UK plug, which should also include a fuse
- Make sure there’s a certification label on the product and its packaging
- Electrical appliances should have a model serial number on the product – use this to register it. This makes it easy for the manufacturer to contact you if it needs to be recalled due to a fault or safety reason.
Appliances
Appliances such as ovens, barbecues, hobs and outdoor heaters should not be used to keep a room warm. Only use appliances for their intended purpose.
- Make sure washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers are not used overnight or when no one’s home – if there’s a fire no one will be there to raise the alarm
- Tumble dryer lint filters need to be cleaned weekly and vacuumed monthly, to reduce the risk of fire
- See if the product has been recalled by using Electrical Safety First’s online product checker
- Check the product has a three-pin UK plug, which should also include a fuse
- Make sure there’s a certification label on the product and its packaging
- Electrical appliances should have a model serial number on the product – use this to register it. This makes it easy for the manufacturer to contact you if it needs to be recalled due to a fault or safety reason.
Energy tariffs
If possible, avoid running white goods and charging devices at night or when you are out of the house. Energy often isn’t any cheaper at night, so you might not actually save anything by running the washing machine overnight. If you’re asleep you are much less likely to spot a small problem (smoke coming from a socket) before it becomes a fire. Before you go to bed, or go out, check the living room, the kitchen, home office, your bedroom and so on and switch off!
Counterfeit products
- Fake electrical products claiming to be ‘real’ could be unsafe or faulty, increasing the risk of fire
- Be sure to purchase electrical goods from retailers you know and trust, either from the manufacturer’s website or from a trusted high street name
- Spotting a fake product within online marketplaces can be difficult – if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is
- If the seller claims the product is ‘genuine’, ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ double check the source, because most reputable retailers don’t need to describe their products like this

Useful links to access support

Financial Support

Get help with the cost of living – Citizens Advice

Getting extra support from your energy supplier – Citizens Advice

Cost of living support – Lancashire County Council

The Priority Services Register provides help to vulnerable customers when they need it most. It is a joint register that allows the utility companies to keep track of those who need support so that they can provide services and advice during times of uncertainty.

For further details on the three main utilities Priority Services Register see below:

www.unitedutilities.com/priorityservices

http://www.enwl.co.uk/power-cuts/extracare/

https://cadentgas.com/emergencies-safety/safeguarding/priority-services-register

Helpful Tools

Electricity Safety First have a range of digital tools to help you to stay safe from electrical accidents.

Their ‘Plug Checker’ has been developed to allow you to quickly check and ensure the plugs on your electrical appliances meet the required standards. You can also check electrical items that have been recalled by manufacturers due to safety concerns here.

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