This year’s No Smoking Day theme from The British Heart Foundation is ‘Proud to be a Quitter. In life we’re told never to give up, to keep going – but when it comes to smoking, being a ‘Quitter’ is a good thing.
From a fire safety perspective Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service are reminding smokers that careless disposal of cigarettes is the single biggest killer in house fires across the country. Habits such as smoking whilst drinking alcohol in the home or lighting up in bed are responsible for one in three of all accidental house fires resulting in deaths in England.
With a steady decline in the number of smokers, the overall number of fires triggered by cigarettes is small, but with over a third of all fire deaths in the country attributed to cigarettes the proportion of fatalities is staggering.
A working smoke alarm means you are more than twice as likely to survive an accidental house fire. For smokers not ready to kick the habit this No Smoking Day, it is important to follow these simple precautions to prevent a fire at home:
Visit our website for information and to print out our leaflet on smoking in the home for information and advice on giving up smoking visit: www.nosmokingday.org.uk
