Many people think nothing of coming home after a night out and having another drink and lighting a cigarette.

It only takes one act of carelessness when smoking or cooking to result in someone losing their home, their possessions or, ultimately, their life.

Every year South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue attends a large number of alcohol and drug related fires. The majority of these start because people drink alcohol and fall asleep whilst cooking or smoking. Often, the person will not wake up when a fire takes hold, particularly if they do not have a working smoke alarm.

Even when the alarm is raised and firefighters enter the home to rescue the person, it is not uncommon for them to have already lost consciousness and died through the inhalation of smoke.

Even if the person is not asleep, intoxication can cause drowsiness and can make them less alert to the signs of fire. When they do discover a fire, the alcohol/drugs can heighten feelings of disorientation, making it difficult for them to escape.

Being drunk can make you uncoordinated and uninhibited and as a result you are more at risk of causing a fire from cooking or smoking.

We advise people to:

• Buy food on the way back from the pub, rather than attempting to cook when they get home.
• Never drive home when over the legal alcohol limit, and take care if walking home.
• Make sure all cigarettes are properly extinguished before they go to sleep
• Ensure a working smoke alarm is installed, as this will greatly increase the chances of escaping if fire breaks out in the home. Call 0114 253 2314 to arrange a free Home Safety Check, including free fitting of smoke alarms and help to plan an escape route
• Check smoke alarms using the test facility once a week.
• Do not drink so much that you cannot take care of yourself, your family or your home.

For a free Home Safety Check call 0114 253 2314, or text FREE to 87023, or e-mail: cfsadmin@syfire.gov.uk