Additional Advice for Carers

If the person you are providing care or support to uses home oxygen therapy, it is important to help them understand and manage the fire risk associated with introducing an ignition source close to their oxygen or in an oxygen enriched environment. 

• If you are providing care or support to someone who uses home oxygen therapy, include and record fire safety in your assessments and care planning.
• Ensure the person understands how to use their home oxygen equipment safely. If unsure, contact their home oxygen provider and ask for help.
• Provide the person with fire safety advice and support them to implement it. Our leaflet, Home Oxygen and Fire Safety, is available (internal webpage).
• If the person you are providing care or support to is unable to test and maintain their smoke and heat alarms, test the alarms for them at least monthly, or help to identify somebody who can do this.
• Make sure that the person you are providing care and support to has smoke and heat alarms that meet their needs and can respond if the alarms activate.
• If you are providing care or support to someone who would be unable to mobilise/evacuate in response to a sounding alarm, make sure they have a suitable plan in place to aid escape, including the introduction of assistive technology if required.
• Involve the person you are supporting in decisions about their fire safety. Talk to them about what to do if a fire starts or if their alarm activates.

Refer the person you are supporting to GMFRS for a Home Fire Safety Assessment using our Online Home Fire Safety Check tool (internal webpage) or by telephoning 0800 555 815 if you do not have internet access. The permission of the person you are referring is required.