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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.
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.
DownloadDocument
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.
DownloadDocument
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 either a telephone, or face to face 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.
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.