Home Fire Safety Visits

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A Home Fire Safety Visit is a service we offer to people who may be at increased risk of, or from, fire.

Last updated: 8th April, 2024

Areas that will be covered in a Home Fire Safety Visit include:

Smoke detection and escape planning.
Candle and cooking fire safety.
Electrical safety.
Fire and heater safety.
Clutter and hoarding.
Smoking-related fire safety.
Safety advice related to medical equipment like oxygen and air-flow mattresses, or medicines.

We can also signpost or make onward referrals for support with sensory equipment, cold homes and falls risk.

A Home Fire Safety Visit may be appropriate if:

There is anything which places your home at increased risk of fire. This could include hoarded materials, clutter from overcrowded living arrangements, multiple electrical devices plugged into extension leads, burn marks or previous fires.
There are no working smoke alarms on any level of your home and you are not able to replace the alarms yourself.
You are not sure if the smoke alarms you have are working correctly and you are not able to replace the alarms yourself.
You cannot respond to a smoke alarm quickly because you are affected by a long-term disability, other health need, medication, drugs, alcohol, mobility or frailty.

You can check to see if you are eligible for a Home Fire Safety Visit by completing an Online Home Fire Safety Check.

As a Service we are trying to visit those homes where someone who is aged 80 or above lives, as they are more likely to be affected by frailty or other health needs.

While we have a program in place for this, if you are more than 80 years old you can contact us to arrange a visit.

Alternatively, if you know someone who is in this age category, you can request a visit on their behalf. However, before making a referral to us, please ask for their consent.

Contacts / how to access the service

To be considered for a Home Fire Safety Visit you can email your name, address, phone number/contact details to referrals@bucksfire.gov.uk or phone 01296 744477.

If you are enquiring on behalf of an elderly relative or neighbour, it is important that we have their contact details so that we can confirm the booking. It is also important that you have told them you are making this request on their behalf, and you have their consent.

Rented properties

The landlord of a rented property is responsible for ensuring there are working smoke alarms on the first day of a tenancy and replacing them when necessary. However, a Home Fire Safety Visit can still be requested as the supply of smoke alarms forms only a small part of the visit. Most advice given relates to the person/people living there.

Alarms for people who are D/deaf or hard of hearing

If you are D/deaf or hard of hearing, you may not be able to adequately hear the smoke alarms that are fitted during a Home Fire Safety Visit. If that is the case we will, with your consent and depending on the area you live in, pass your details to Bucks Vision (contracted by Buckinghamshire Council) or the Sensory Advice Resource Centre (contracted by Milton Keynes City Council.) These organisations will arrange a hearing assessment for you and supply a specialist smoke alarm system which is more suitable for your needs.

Home Fire Safety Visit postcard

As well as organising pre-arranged Home Fire Safety Visits, sometimes our crews will plan to be in an area on a certain day and time. To warn in advance you may receive one of our postcards through your door, they will look like this:

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