staying safe

• Crime and Community safety
• Fire safety

Crime and community safety

Most crimes are against property and are usually committed on the spur of the moment, such as grabbing a bag from a car or going through an open house window. You can reduce risks by simply securing your home and car. Trying to prevent crime like this helps the police too, as it gives them more time to tackle serious crime. This in turn benefits you, as it makes your neighbourhood a safer place to live in.

The best way to cut the risk of crime is to take sensible precautions. Most people already do this as part of their everyday lives, often without realising it.

Haringey Council’s website offers some helpful advice on simple ways to avoid crime and protect yourself and your community. It includes useful information on:

• your personal safety
• securing your home, inside and out
• keeping an eye on strangers
• dealing with intruders
• your community and neighbourhood watch
• secured car parks
• youth crime prevention.

When it comes to community safety, we always welcome your observations and suggestions.

Think safe and be safe - if you know that there are risks make sure that you don't take them.

Find out more about staying safe on the Haringey Council website

Fire safety

If there is a fire in your property please:

• Don’t try to put it out, unless you can do so safely and quickly.
• Leave the room immediately and close the door.
• Make sure everyone leaves the flat, closing all the doors behind them.
• If the fire prevents you from leaving your flat, go to one room and close the door behind you. Then put a wet towel at the bottom of the door and stay low on the floor.
• Do not open windows, as this will help the fire to spread through your flat.
• Call the fire brigade immediately. Dial 999, give the number of the phone you are calling from and ask for the fire brigade. They will ask for your name and address and where the fire is. Do not hang up until they repeat your address.
• Once you’ve left the flat, wait for the emergency services, who may want more information from you.

If there is a fire somewhere else in your block of flats:

Call the fire brigade immediately. Unless the fire brigade tells you to evacuate, you will normally be safe if you stay in your flat. Close all the doors and windows to keep out the smoke. If smoke gets in, leave immediately, closing the door behind you. If the fire is near your flat or is in a property joined to yours, you should leave the building immediately. Do not use the lifts when there is a fire.

Remember the following.

• Closing doors slows down the spread of the fire and reduces the main danger – smoke.
• Keep escape routes clear – don’t keep large items such as furniture on shared balconies and landings.
• Don’t wedge self-closing doors open. These doors are normally fire-resistant. They help to stop fire and smoke spreading, but only when they are closed. If any of the self-closing doors are not working properly, please report it to us on 0800 195 3404.
• Before you go to bed or go out, close as many doors in your flat as you can. If a fire does start, this will help to stop it spreading.
• You should unplug all electrical appliances when you are not using them, especially overnight.

Smoke alarms

Smoke alarms are a cheap way of giving you early warning of a fire. You can buy them in most hardware shops and supermarkets. If you have smoke alarms, they should be on stair landings and outside the kitchen or bedrooms (or both). You should also check the batteries each week.