Keep Safe

Preparing your home for winter        Fire Safety is especially important during the Winter.  Your local Fire and Rescue service will carry out a free home fire safety check for you and fit smoke alarms if you do not already have them.  Call them on 0800 169 1234 for more information. Top Tips: If you have open fires make sure that they are properly ventilated.  Use safety guards and don't hang your washing near the open flames.  If you use a fire or heater in your bedroom at night, always keep a window and door open. Use your electric blanket as instructed and get it tested every three years.  Remember never to use an electric blanket and hot water bottle together. Click here to download 'Fire Safety in the Home', a useful leaflet produced by Fire Flash who promote fire safety in Wales. Carbon Monoxide         Incorrectly installed, poorly maintained or poorly ventilated heating and cooking equipment which runs on fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal or wood) can give off carbon monoxide - an invisible, odourless toxic gas which kills more than 50 people a year in England and Wales.  Low levels of carbon monoxide can cause serious harm to your health if breathed in over a long time. Top Tips: Have your heating and cooking appliances, flues and chimneys serviced at least once a year by a suitably trained, reputable, registered engineer. Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm that meets European Standard EN50291. Keep rooms well ventilated when using an appliance and stop using an appliance if you think it might be giving off carbon monoxide gas. If you suffer from symptoms that feel like food poisoning, viral infections, flu or simple fatigue and think they could be caused by carbon monoxide gas.   For more information,download the Welsh Government 'You can't smell it, you can't see it and it can kill!' leaflet for more information. Click here to download 'Carbon Monoxide Poisoning' by Carbon Monoxide Awareness. To find out more about carbon monoxide safety, call the Health and Safety Executive Gas Safety Advice Line on 0800 300 363 8am-8pm, Mon-Fri and 10am-4pm, Saturdays or visit Health and Safety Executive.   'Call for Help'   Call for Help is a guide to contacting organisations in emergencies, or if other help is needed.  The guide includes contact numbers for electricity, gas and water services, as well as for flooding information and general advice from Age Cymru.  Click here to download this guide.  Be a Good Neighbour Keep an eye out for any older people who may need help during the cold weather.  Let someone know if you will need help getting out and about yourself.