Fire safety
Who’s responsible for replacing the batteries in the smoke alarm? What do you do if a fire is blocking your main escape route through the front door? Where is the fire extinguisher?
Before moving into a new home, follow this fire safety checklist:
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Count the smoke alarms.
At least one is required on every floor. The kitchen, living room and areas outside of the bedroom and technical rooms must be covered by smoke alarms. If your housing is hooked up to a central alarm system, make sure it’s functioning.
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Check for fire extinguishers.
A handheld fire extinguisher or a fire hose covering all rooms is required.
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Locate all the emergency exits.
If your housing is in a building with multiple floors, this usually means two separate emergency exits.
“In case of a fire, early warning is crucial. A smoke alarm is possibly the single fire safety invention that has saved most lives”
Your landlord is responsible for providing sufficient smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and emergency exits. Your responsibility is to maintain them, and make sure they work.
- Test the smoke alarms regularly and change the batteries once a year.
- Fire extinguishers must be placed in plain view, ready for use. If it has a pressure gauge, check that it is on green. Also, make sure the pin is still in the trigger.
- Keep all emergency exits tidy and accessible. Don’t use the back stairs for storage.
- Report any fire safety faults and malfunctions to the landlord immediately.
Try out all emergency exits
Don’t make common mistakes
Information officer Trine Sommerlade from Bergen fire department has worked with students and fire safety for 13 years. She knows all the common mistakes students make.
"Falling asleep with the pizza in the oven is a classic mistake. You do not want a visit from the fire department just because you craved a snack late at night."
Does the smoke alarm always go off when you are cooking? Do not be tempted to remove the battery from the smoke alarm.
"If you remove the battery, it is so easy to forget to put it back in. We understand that repeated smoke alarms are annoying, but there are good solutions for this other than removing the battery. Ventilate better, move the smoke alarms slightly or talk to the landlord about the problem."
Blocking emergency exits is another common mistake. This can include stacking cardboard boxes in the back stairs, or parking your bike in the hallway.
"By doing this, you have effectively blocked your own escape routes. You have to keep in mind that it’s likely both dark and smoky when you are escaping. Make sure all emergency exits are clutter free."
Sommerlade also delivers clear advice when it comes to the use of candles and open fire at parties and afterparties in your home.
"Just drop it! It’s not that cosy, when all of a sudden it causes a fire."
Arrange a drill in your housing unit
“Don’t charge batteries at night!”
Be aware of the dangers of charging
More and more everyday devices come with a charging port, and the number of e-bikes and scooters has sky-rocketed.
– The battery packs of vehicles like e-bikes and e-scooters are very susceptible to physical damage. You easily bump it, or drop it on the floor. When charging a damaged battery, it can short circuit and cause a fire. We have seen this happen many times.
Sommerlade’s answer?
– Look after your batteries and don’t charge them at night or in the basement. Only use chargers that are compatible with the device.
Photo: Bergen Fire Department
Are you worried about fire safety where you live?
If you suspect something is not right in your apartment or building, you can report your fire safety concerns to branntips.no/en. The fire department will come for an inspection, free of charge. If they find anything that needs to be fixed, they will take it up with the landlord.
– It is important to be aware and not accept poor fire safety, Sommerlade says.
