Safe and Well

What's involved in a Safe and Well visit?

Safe and Well visits involve much more than just fitting smoke detectors.

Our visits, are carried out by operational firefighters, based at our 38 community fire stations, and usually take around an hour. We know there are strong links between health, well-being and lifestyle choices and the risk of fire. This is why, with the residents’ permission, we cover a range of topics with a link to fire risk, including:

smoking, alcohol, medication and drugs
mental health, dementia
mobility including slips, trips and falls
hoarding
loneliness and social isolation
healthy eating and lifestyles
home security
road safety

A handbook complements the visits, providing vital fire safety information, general safety and health or well-being advice. A copy is left with the household, along with information on any actions or referrals/signposting made by the visiting crew. These visits used to be called home safety checks or safety visits, so you may find them referred to as that in some leaflets or media.

Any firefighting crew attending a person's home for a Safe and Well visit will always carry their identity cards, and you should ask to see this before allowing them entry to your home.

A firefighter talking with an elderly gentleman in his home during a Safe and Well visit.

Who are they for?

We prioritise and target our Safe and Well visits, with a focus on the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Staff in our Home Safety Centre carefully assess each referral and identify people who most need the service.

If you’re not eligible for a visit, the online home safety check portal (linked below) will still give you vital personalised information on how to keep you and your family safe at home.

You can also download our Safe and Well handbook below, which is packed with great advice on safety in the home.
If you are experiencing issues with an alarm we have fitted for you, check out the short troubleshooting guide also below. And, don’t forget to check out our website’s safety pages!

Fire Angel Smoke Alarm Troubleshooting

A short troubleshooting guide addressing some of the common concerns or issues with Fire Angel smoke detectors.

Download

Document

Safe and Well Booklet

This booklet, which often accompanies our Safe and Well visits, contains a wealth of information on keeping your home, family and yourself safe.

Download

Document

How to book

Initially, we ask you to complete the online referral through our provider, Safelincs. They worked with the National Fire Chiefs Council to provide a national online home safety check service.

This easy-to-follow online home fire safety check will take you through your home one room at a time and the simple questions will:

Help you spot fire risks as you go around your home
offer tips and advice on the steps you can take to reduce those risks
provide you with a personalised fire safety action plan to help keep you and your household safe from fire.

Depending on the risk identified, you may be offered the option to submit your details to your ‘local fire and rescue service’. If you do and you’re based in the West Midlands, this information is securely shared with us and a member of our team will contact you to arrange an in-person Safe and Well visit.

If you need advice or cannot use our online form you can call our team for free on 08003895525 or email homesafety.centre@wmfs.net.

Online Home Safety Check

Please complete your home fire safety check by selecting the appropriate option from the buttons below.

Select the first button if you're completing a check or requesting a visit for yourself. Select the second option if you're a partner, professional or carer requesting a visit for someone else.

If it's identified that a home visit is required, you will be given the option to submit your details, which are then sent securely to us to organise a visit by our local firefighters.

Online Safety Home Fire Safety Check - select this option if you're completing a referral for yourself, a friend or a relative *Safe and Well visit for others - select this option if you're a partner, professional or carer referring someone else

* Please note, the online home fire safety check by Safelincs is not managed by West Midlands Fire Service and by clicking the button, you will be taken to their website to complete your online safety check. Please see our terms and conditions, referring to links to other website, for further information.

Live outside the West Midlands?

We offer Safe and Well visits for residents who live in the West Midlands area. If you live in other areas, you can still complete the online home fire safety check above and, if you qualify for a visit, your local fire and rescue service will be sent your details and will contact you. If you need more help or information from your local service, we've linked to some of our neighbouring services below. To view a full list of fire and rescue services in the UK, visit the National Fire Chiefs Council website.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service

For professionals and carers

A Safe and Well visit includes discussions about general safety in the home, for example, risk of slips, trips and falls, home security and smoking cessation. WMFS has the facility to make referrals that will help to prevent, reduce and delay care and support needs where the person feels this would be beneficial, such as to Age UK, and this is done with their consent.

On receipt of a Safe and Well visit referral from a partner, agency or professional we will:

Triage the risks and vulnerabilities highlighted
make a decision on the level and priority of service needed
make an appointment, with the named contact to carry out a Safe and Well visit
liaise with and support the service user, and referring agency where the triage process deems this is required.

Visit our dedicated safety advice for professionals and carers

Resources, adaptations and equipment

There are many resources, adaptations and equipment that are commonly recommended by us during a Safe and Well visit.

Details of which can be found below. This list is not exhaustive, there are many manufacturers of a wide range of equipment, fire retardant clothing and soft furnishings, and other equipment, to help reduce risk and vulnerability to fire. Examples of the commonly recommended resources, adaptations and equipment include:

Hearing impaired smoke detector

For people with a hearing impairment drug & alcohol dependency or misuse. People on prescription medication.

Low frequency sounder smoke detector

For people with a hearing impairment, drug & alcohol dependency, or misuse. People on prescription medication.

Linked smoke detector

For people who hoard, where the detectors audible signal may be reduced, due to extensive clutter. For people with complex health needs, limited mobility and high fire risk. For complex buildings where there are long distances between detectors.

Fire retardant bedding pack (Duvet, pillow, duvet cover, pillow case and fitted sheet)

For people who smoke in bed.

Fire retardant throws and rugs

For people who smoke in armchairs, on settees etc.

Fire retardant smoking apron

For people who smoke in armchairs, on settees etc.

Galvanised metal bucket with damp sand in the bottom

For safe disposal of cigarettes.

Community Alarm – system linked smoke detector

For people with complex health needs, limited mobility and high fire risk.

Letterbox protectors

Is fitted to the inside of a front door over the letterbox where there is a risk of arson related anti social behaviour or domestic abuse.

Heat detectors, cooker shut off or cooker suppression system

Where there is an increased risk, when cooking for example for someone who has a sight impairment / decreased memory function e.g. dementia, smokers with limited mobility and extremely high fire risk.

Mattress toppers

Safer, more cost effective option to replace the use of electric blankets.

Fire guards

Fitted over open fires or heaters to reduce possible contact by person or combustible items.

Our Services

What's involved in a Safe and Well visit?