Building and Fire Safety
The safety of our customers is our number one priority, here you can read about building and fire safety. We have robust procedures in place regarding fire safety which are reviewed and tested on a regular basis.
Keeping you safe in your home
- Stay calm and act quickly
- Don’t attempt to tackle the fire or open the door to the room where the fire is
- Warn everybody within your home and leave immediately, closing the front door
- Dial 999 and ask for the fire service.
There are steps you can take to lower your home's fire risk:
- Practicing an escape route will ensure that everyone in the home is aware of what to do in the event of a fire
- Keeping your doors closed to stop the spread of smoke and fire
- Making sure your escape routes are clear and free from obstacles
- Checking your home before you go to bed
- Checking your smoke alarm weekly. If it’s not working call us on 0800 633 5500 or 0300 111 0000
- It is important when charging e-bikes and e-scooters, you do so safely to avoid a risk of a fire starting and putting your families and homes at risk. Find out more on the NFCC website
Watch the Fire Safety video - Test your smoke alarm
- Be aware of where your fire exits are
- Have an escape plan, which you practice and make sure all those living with you know what it is
- Keep communal areas and balconies clear from combustible materials and items so they don’t block your escape and increase the fire risk
- Always keep door and window keys where everyone can find them
- Refer to the emergency plan within the communal area of your block and fire safety information provided to you annually.
- Call 999 immediately
- Stay in the room furthest away from the fire and wait for the fire service to arrive
- If you can’t get to a phone, open a window and shout for help
- Put towels or bedding around the bottom of the door to reduce the smoke getting in.
If you feel you may struggle to self-evacuate in the event of a fire, please advise your housing officer by calling 0800 633 5500 or 0300 111 0000 and this will be recorded for use by the fire service.
High-rise
We take fire safety in our tower blocks seriously. To reduce the fire risk in your home, the walls, doors and floors are designed to stop fire and smoke from spreading. We also engage fire consultants to complete yearly Fire Risk Assessments.
We aim to help you stay safe in your home with the information below. However, if you have been advised of a temporary evacuation strategy whilst there are ongoing works, please follow the advice as it maybe a temporary requirement to evacuate the building in the event of a fire regardless of where that fire is. If you do have a temporary evacuation strategy in place, this will be displayed in the foyer also and all residents will be advised.
You can also do a few things to ensure we can keep you as safe as possible. Make sure your escape routes are clear and free from obstacles (this includes bicycles, mobility scooters, prams, plant pots etc).
Please remember in black smoke and in panic, people may not see items which can cause further danger.
- Leave your flat and allow the door to close behind you
- If it's safe, call 999 and report the fire, giving the address and your flat number
- Leave the building by the nearest emergency exit route
- Don't return your flat until you have been told it is safe by the Fire Service .
If you're in your flat, stay put until the Fire Service tells you to leave, you feel unsafe, or your home is affected by heat or smoke.
- Shut all doors and windows
- Call 999 to report the fire.
- Leave the building by the nearest fire exit route
- If it's safe, call 999 and report the fire, giving the address and the location where you believe the fire has started
- Don’t return to your flat until you have been told it is safe by the Fire Service.
- Leave the building by the nearest emergency exit route using the stairs
- Don’t use the lift or run
- Let the Fire Service know immediately if someone has not been able to leave your flat
- Only evacuate the building if you're told to do so by the Fire Service, you feel unsafe, your home is affected by heat or smoke, or the fire alarm sounds throughout the building.
If you feel you may struggle to self-evacuate in the event of a fire, please advise your housing officer by calling 0800 633 5500 or 0300 111 0000 and this will be recorded for use by the fire service.
Low-rise
Although the walls, doors and floors are all designed to stop fire and smoke from spreading, we need your help to ensure that you stay as safe as possible.
- Review the map of your building assembly point by your main building entrance
- Keep your doors closed to stop the spread of smoke and fire
- Make sure your escape routes are clear and free from obstacles (this includes bicycles, mobility scooters, prams, plant pots etc).
- Please remember in black smoke and in panic, people may not see items which can cause further danger to residents and firefighters
- Regularly check your smoke detector
- Work with our teams to allow quick access for annual safety inspections and servicing.
- Leave the building by the nearest fire exit route
- Go to the fire assembly point outside your building
- Call 999 and ask for the Fire Service.
- Stay put until the Fire Service tells you to leave, you feel unsafe, or your home is affected by heat or smoke
- Shut all doors and windows
- Call 999 to report the fire to the Fire Service.
- Leave the building by the nearest emergency exit route using the stairs
- Don’t use the lift or run
- Let the Fire Service know immediately if someone has not been able to leave your flat
- Only evacuate the building if you're told to do so by the Fire Service, you feel unsafe, your home is affected by heat or smoke, or the fire alarm sounds throughout the building.
If you feel you may struggle to self-evacuate in the event of a fire, please advise your housing officer by calling 0800 633 5500 or 0300 111 0000 and this will be recorded for use by the fire service.
Independent living scheme
Although the walls, doors and floors are all designed to stop fire and smoke from spreading, we need your help to ensure that you stay as safe as possible.
There are a few things you can do to keep yourself and your family safe in the event of fire:
- Review the map of your building assembly point by your main building entrance
- Keep your doors closed to stop the spread of smoke and fire
- Make sure your escape routes are clear and free from obstacles
- Regularly check your smoke alarm.
- Leave the building by the nearest fire exit route
- Go to the fire assembly point outside your building
- Call 999 and ask for the Fire Service.
If you feel you may struggle to self-evacuate in the event of a fire, please advise your housing officer by calling 0800 633 5500 or 0300 111 0000 and this will be recorded for use by the fire service.
Fire Risk Assessments (FRA)
As part of our obligations to manage fire safety, we have completed the annual fire risk assessments below.
The reports highlight recommendations and actions that Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) need to address.
Fire Safety Leaflets
WCHG Fire Safety Leaflets:
WCHG is committed to keeping you safe, and we are progressing with all recommendations within each fire risk assessment.
Who do I contact if I have any questions?
- If you have any questions or concerns or need a repair, you can contact our Customer Hub by calling 0800 633 5500 or 0300 111 0000
- If you would like to report an High Rise block building safety concern online, either anonymously or otherwise, you can do it through the High Rise Safety Contact Us Form and there is more information on the High Rise Safety page
- If you would like to report a building safety concern directly to the Building Safety manager, Victoria Finn, you can do so by e-mail at Building.safety@wchg.org.uk or 07252 905 048. You can also speak to our Building Safety Officer, Tom Porter, on 07525 905 042.
- If you would like this information in a different format i.e. translation to another language, Braille or large print, please contact Tom Porter, on 07525 905 042, to discuss your preference.
