CHESHIRE Fire and Rescue Service is sharing top tips of the day in support of an annual campaign that aims to keep families in the county safe.

Child Safety Week runs until June 9, with the focus this year being ‘Family life today: where’s the risk?’

Family life today is more complex than it has ever been and often the very things that help make life more convenient for us as adults bring new risks for children, such as a rise in number of electrical items in the family home.

Firefighters and staff from across the service will also be out and about during the week passing vital safety messages to parents and children.

Nick Evans, head of prevention at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Firefighters attend many incidents involving children, and see first-hand the problems that surround them, both in the home and on the road.

“Helping to prevent accidents is a huge part of the service that we provide to communities, and young children are more at risk of accidents than anyone. We need to do everything we can to prevent accidents involving children occurring, so I would encourage people to please take the time to have a look on our website and social media and make sure you follow our important safety advice.”

Child safety is a focus for the service not just during Child Safety Week but all year round as Cheshire is home to the service’s revolutionary Safety Central - which not only targets schools, but new parents who need support to live.

It covers the hazards that they are most likely to encounter in and around their homes with the aim of reducing accidental deaths and injuries from fire.

Each day this week, the Service will post its top tip of the day on social media, with parents encouraged to speak to their children about them and discuss with them the importance of staying safe.

Some of the tips that will be shared on social media for a safer family home:

  • Set clear kitchen rules for young kids such as: never play with matches, never switch on the cooker and don’t touch any saucepans on the cooker. Never leave younger children alone in the kitchen when you're cooking.
  • Nominate your child to be the ‘Escape champ’ – Regularly role-play escape routes and give children the responsibility to keep escape routes clear.
  • Discuss how to call 999 – Make sure children know which number to call in an emergency. Also ensure that they know their address; explain the importance of only calling 999 in a real emergency.
  • Fit and maintain a smoke alarm – you should have one on each level of your home and test it weekly.

To see more top tips for a safer family home, follow Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and the hashtag #ChildSafetyWeek.

To find out more about child safety in the home, visit www.cheshirefire.gov.uk/public-safety/home-safety/child-fire-safety-guide-for-parents