text: News: UK Home Safety Week - 24th - 30th March
  UK Home Safety Week
  During Home Safety Week, (24th - 30th March) East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service will be promoting the benefits of a great life-saving tool – the smoke alarm.
  Our firefighters regularly deal with incidents that clearly demonstrate why smoke alarms are important. Having a working smoke alarm could save your life.
  Community Safety Team Manager, Steve Wright, said: "Smoke alarms – as part of your home safety plan are a vital, inexpensive, life-saving tool that should be in every home. Fires will spread – fast! Those extra few minutes that a smoke alarm will give you, will enable you to get yourself and your family to safety in the event of a fire in your home.
  East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service recommends that every home should have a smoke alarm, and if you live in a home on two or more levels, you should have a smoke alarm on every level. Fit one alarm on the ground floor, and additional alarms on each landing. Make sure that the smoke alarm is placed where you can hear it – even through a closed door.
  Look after your smoke alarm and it will look after you. A little regular maintenance, taking no more than a few minutes will help to keep your smoke alarm working properly. Every three months, give your smoke alarm a clean in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. Consider if you could do the same for older and vulnerable family, friends and neighbours who may find it difficult to test and clean their smoke alarm safely.
  If you need advice on specialist alarms - for people with hearing impairment, for example – contact East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service on 0800 1777 069.
  Community Safety Team Manager, Steve Wright, said: "East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service offers free smoke alarms and fire safety visits to eligible households across East Sussex and Brighton and Hove. Our Community Safety Team has distributed and installed more than 105,000 domestic smoke alarms since 2004."
  You can register for a Home Safety Visit on our website or call the team on 0800 1777 069.
  This short video from Head of Community Risk Management, Neal Robinson, highlights the importance of having a working smoke alarm, the different types available, and how you can get the best out of them.