FAQs About The Fire Service

You must:
– Take general fire precautions
– Carry out a Fire Risk Assessment identifying the general fire precautions
– Apply the principles of prevention, implementing fire safety measures
– Plan, organise, control, monitor, review fire safety measures
– Eliminate/reduce risks
– Maintain fire safety equipment and devices
– Provide fire safety information and training to employees
And ensure premises:
– Are equipped with firefighting equipment
– Have fire detectors and alarms
– Have safe emergency routes and exits
– Have safe procedures to follow
– Have additional measures for dangerous substances

The Fire Safety Order applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure, and open space. For example:
– Offices and shops
– Premises that provide care
– Community halls
– Common areas of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
– Pubs, clubs and restaurants
– Schools
– Tents and marquees
– Hotels and hostels
– Factories and warehouses
It does not apply to domestic premises occupied by a single family.

Yes.  You must protect yourself and anyone else in the vicinity of your business from fire.  To do this you must assess the risks and make general fire precautions and record the findings in a Fire Risk Assessment.  If a fire safety inspector visits your business, they would wish to see this to show that you understand your fire risks.

You should contact your local waste disposal site and enquire about local policies. Please do not bring old or unwanted fire extinguishers to a fire station.

Unfortunately we do not offer this service. Your extinguishers may be leased and/or be under a maintenance contract and initially this should be looked into. There are many companies which offer these services and we would recommend looking for those who are part of a trade organisations such as the Fire Industry Association or Fire Extinguishing Trades Association.

You should look at the appropriate guide for your type of business premises and judge the appropriate type of extinguisher based upon the risks. In general though you should provide one fire extinguisher for every 200^m2, with at least two extinguishers on each floor.
If you operate within a very small premises, and only occupy one floor, then one extinguisher appropriate to the level of risk may be ok. Guidance should be sought from a competent fire extinguisher provider.

Yes. You should test your business fire alarm once a week. You should test a different call point each time. The result of this test should be recorded. Your alarm must be tested twice per year by a competent alarm engineer.

Yes. Emergency lighting should be tested once a month to ensure that it is working and the findings of the test recorded. Emergency lighting should also be tested once a year by a competent person.

Gas cylinders for barbecues and patio heaters need to be stored, handled and used properly. Store gas cylinders in an upright position outside of the home, away from drains, heat, and sources of ignition. Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service does not enforce the storage of gas cylinders at domestic addresses. Concerns about gas cylinder storage should be referred to the Environmental Health department local to the address.

High hedges are not a fire safety concern, they are an issue to address in the first instance with the person whose land the hedge is on. If this is unsuccessful and the high hedge meets certain criteria, you can ask your council for a complaint form, but be aware that you may need to pay the council a fee to consider your complaint.

Bonfires can be a fire risk, so we would always recommend looking for alternative ways to get rid of your waste. Some areas of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes are designated smoke free areas which means that you will need to check with your local council if a restriction affects your address. You do not need to notify Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service of your intent to have a bonfire.

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service regularly receives complaints about nuisance parking, despite having no power to regulate it. Concerns about parking that poses an immediate danger to the public, such as preventing an emergency vehicle from accessing a street, should be reported to Thames Valley Police online or by calling the non-emergency number 101.

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service aims to provide an educational engagement visit to every Year 5 child in primary school. To arrange an educational engagement visit, please email education@bucksfire.gov.uk with the name and address of the school, a contact name and phone number and if any of the pupils have special educational needs.

Organisations such as the Women’s Institute, residents in sheltered housing, carers, district nurses etc. may request a talk about fire safety in the home. These are delivered by a Community Safety Co-ordinator who will liaise with the group to confirm desired content and an appropriate time. To request a fire safety talk email communitysafetyteam@bucksfire.gov.uk with the name of the group, the address of the group’s regular meeting place, a preferred day/night of the week, a contact name and phone number.

Organisations such as the Women’s Institute, residents in sheltered housing, carers, district nurses etc. may request a talk about fire safety in the home. These are delivered by a Community Safety Co-ordinator who will liaise with the group to confirm desired content and an appropriate time. To request a fire safety talk email communitysafetyteam@bucksfire.gov.uk with the name of the group, the address of the group’s regular meeting place, a preferred day/night of the week, a contact name and phone number.

Educational station visits can be arranged for Scouts/Guides/similar organisations to learn about the Firefighters role and equipment, fire safety, what to do in the event of a fire and how to call the emergency services. They are also appropriate for home educated children, charities or organisations supporting those with special educational needs and disabilities. Please email Education@Bucksfire.gov.uk including: group name, address of the group’s regular meeting place, a preferred day/night of the week, a contact name and phone number.

A person with a tendency to hoard or diagnosed with hoarding disorder may be at increased risk from fire due to the amount of materials within their home causing extra fire loading. They may also experience difficulty in exiting the premises quickly in the event of emergency. We run a confidential peer support group to enable those who hoard, or family, friends or carers who support hoarders, to discuss the condition, obtain peer support, information and advice. Home fire safety advice can also be offered during a Home Fire Safety Visit.

If there is an immediate risk to their life, dependent on the circumstances you would need to request police or ambulance attendance by calling 999. If you are concerned about the mental health of an individual, encourage them to see a medical professional such as their doctor, mental health team, or accident and emergency department.

During a Home Fire Safety Visit we can review fire safety within the home of the person with visual impairment and provide advice to reduce their risk from fire. The person with visual impairment can consent to be referred to the local sensory service for assessment, and provision of appropriate specialist advice and equipment. A Home Fire Safety Visit can only be requested on behalf of someone else when they have consented to their details being shared for this purpose.

During a Home Fire Safety Visit we can review fire safety within the home of the person with hearing loss and provide advice to reduce their risk from fire. The person with hearing loss can consent to be referred to the local sensory service for assessment, and provision of appropriate specialist advice and equipment. A Home Fire Safety Visit can only be requested on behalf of someone else when they have consented to their details being shared for this purpose.

A person with mobility issues or disability may be at increased risk from fire through dropping or knocking over a lit item such as a candle or cigarette and not being able to retrieve it. Fire safety advice to reduce this risk can be offered during a Home Fire Safety Visit. A Home Fire Safety Visit can only be requested on behalf of someone else when they have consented to their details being shared for this purpose.

If a child in your family or that you care for is engaging in fire play or firesetting, you may wish to refer them to the Firewise, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service’s Firesetter Intervention Scheme.

Yes, we do. Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSCs) or Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSV) as we call them, are a service for people who are at increased risk from fire. An HFSV can only be requested on behalf of someone else when they have consented to their details being shared for this purpose.

A person is around eight times more likely to die from a fire if they do not have a working smoke alarm in their home. This risk is heightened if that person is older or living with disability. Smoke alarms are fitted where needed during Home Fire Safety Visit. For those living in rented property, the landlord is responsible for providing working smoke alarms on the first day of your tenancy and replacing them when required.

Home Fire Safety Visits are a service for people who are at increased risk from fire. During a Home Fire Safety Visit, fire safety and general wellbeing will be considered, and advice provided. Click here to find out more about the visit.