What to do in the event of a fire:
- Do not stop to save valuables.
- Do not investigate the fire.
- Crawl on the floor if there is smoke.
- As you leave – only open doors you need to and close any open doors you can to slow the spread of fire.
- Stay together with members of your household if you can.
- If there is a lift/stair-lift, do not use it.
- Do not re-enter the building.
- Call 999 and ask for the Fire Service, provide your name, full address and contact telephone number.
For residents of flats
If you live in a flat, the Fire Action Notice in the communal area will tell you what to do in an emergency. It may be that it is safer for you to remain in your flat, rather than leave immediately. If you haven’t already, please familiarise yourself with this notice.
Fire doors
Fire doors are crucial, life-saving safety devices, designed to restrict the spread of smoke and fire.
Please do:
- Ensure fire doors are kept shut when not in use
- Report any faults or damage immediately to Eastlight by clicking here.
Please don't:
- Alter or change your flat front door without prior consent from Eastlight
- Tamper with doors or self-closing devices.
- Escape route: You need to think about your escape route in the event of a fire within your home – and make sure everyone in your house is familiar with it. Make sure exits are clear. If you live in a block of flats, please be sure to contact us here to report any hazards or items blocking escape routes.
- Fire doors: Must be kept shut. Do not disconnect a closing device. Please report damage immediately here.
- Smoke alarms: Make sure the smoke alarms in your home are working by testing them weekly. Information on how to do this can be found in this video on our website here.
- Heating system: Use the fixed heating system fitted in your home, do not use any form of radiant heater, especially one with either a flame (gas or paraffin) or a radiant element (electric bar fire).
- Appliances: Make sure electrical appliances and heaters are switched off when no one is home.
- Flammable items: Petrol, gas cannisters etc must not be stored in communal areas/cupboards or your home.
- Matches and lighters: Keep in a safe place, away from children.
- Electrical sockets: Do not overload and switch them off when not in use.
- Cooking: Never leave cooking unattended. Take extra care when cooking with hot oil – don’t leave children alone in the kitchen when the hob or oven is on.
- Balcony: If you have a balcony, do not have a barbeque, smoke or leave flammable items on it.
- Candles: Never leave them unattended. Always put them out fully.
- Smoking: Never smoke in bed. Always put out cigarettes fully.
- Keep your home clutter-free: High levels of clutter make it much easier for a fire to start and spread. Clutter can make it difficult to escape and increases the risk of injury and death.
- Make a bedtime check: Close inside doors at night to stop fire spreading.
- We carry out Fire Risk Assessments every three years in our General Needs flat blocks, and annually in our Supported Housing and Housing for Older People Schemes.
- We regularly inspect communal areas to ensure they are kept clear, and we inspect communal fire doors to ensure they remain operational and in good working order.
- We regularly maintain fire safety equipment in blocks of flats. This is essential equipment designed to keep you safe in the event of a fire, so please don’t tamper with it and do report any faults or damage to us here.
- We also distribute essential fire safety information annually to all residents living in blocks of flats.
Fire doors are crucial, life-saving safety devices, designed to restrict the spread of smoke and fire.
Please do:
- Ensure fire doors are kept shut when not in use
- Report any faults or damage immediately to Eastlight by clicking here.
Please don't:
- Alter or change your flat front door without prior consent from Eastlight
- Tamper with doors or self-closing devices.
In line with government guidelines, we don’t install fire extinguisher units in common areas of our buildings as they should only be used by those who are suitably trained to do so.
Your safety is vital for us, which is why, in the event of a fire, you should follow the steps outlined in the 'What to do if there is a fire' section above.
Please note, the below information only applies if your fire action notice stipulates that your block operates a Stay Put’ strategy in the event of a fire.
Current fire safety guidance – as issued by the Government and supported by the fire and rescue service – advises that fire detection systems should not be fitted within communal areas of purpose-built blocks of flats where a ’Stay Put’ strategy is in place.
Fitting fire detection systems within communal areas of purpose-built blocks of flats can lead to false alarms, and place unnecessary burden on the fire and rescue service in attending to these. It also contradicts the nature of a ‘Stay Put’ strategy, as it may encourage residents to leave their flat to investigate the cause of an alarm sounding.
Where some of our blocks of flats are fitted with detection in the communal areas, we are in the process of gradually removing these systems, in line with current guidance. This won’t affect any detection within your home, and we won’t need access to your home to do this.
All of our homes are fitted with smoke detection. You should test all detectors within your flat at least once a week to ensure they’re working correctly. Guidance on how you can do this can be found in the video on this page here. Some of our contractors may also test these during their visits to your flat. If you have a home MOT carried out, we’ll test them then, too.
