Fire Kills - you can prevent it

Fire Kills

Campaign materials

This page contains publicity material and information on recent national fire safety publicity campaigns.

Don't Drown In Toxic Smoke (current)

2 to 3 breaths of toxic smoke and you are unconscious Toxic smoke can kill your child in under a minute

You're listeneing to the sound that 1 in 4 smoke alarms make Don't drown in toxic smoke. Test your smoke alarm today Toxic smoke can kill your child in under a minute 2 to 3 breaths of toxic smoke and you're unconscious

Student Brand Ambassador campaign (2008-9)

Plan your great escape Each year, the Fire Kills campaign takes the fire safety message on campus by recruiting ‘student ambassadors’ from universities across England to promote fire safety messages amongst their peers.

The aim is to raise awareness of the danger of fire and get students to check their Fire Safety equipment. We will be working with 37 universities - reaching almost 400,000 students.

BME Campaign (current)

BME campaign image (Polish)

Our new BME campaign will target 6 main communities: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Somali and Polish. Specialist television and press advertising will be used to reach people within these communities who may not speak English or who may be alienated from the general mass media advertising.

The campaign has been developed following research which identified that the Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Somali and Polish communities were at highest risk and with the lowest level of awareness or understanding of risks associated with fire.

The campaign is part of wider outreach and engagement work across the country undertaken by local Fire and Rescue Services.

Pakistani materials

Bangladeshi materials

Somali materials

Polish materials

Generic BME materials (in English)

"Pull Your Finger Out!" and stay safe from fire (2008-9)

Still from Pull Your Finger out! advert starring Julie WatersThe most recent campaign by Communities and Local Government ran between January 2008 and February 2009 and delivered the stark message: 'Pull Your Finger Out' and check your smoke alarm.

The campaign – produced to help encourage people to check their smoke alarms more regularly - was fronted by Julie Walters and highlighted the devastating and potentially fatal consequences of not testing your alarm often enough. The backdrop to the scene showed the horrific aftermath of a fire in the home with a burnt out kitchen. The sad fact is that one in three smoke alarms fails to operate in the event of a fire.

Put it out. Right out! (2004-2007)

Still from the Put it out. Right out! TV advert The Fire Kills 'Put it Out. Right Out!' campaign showed how easily fires can start from just one cigarette and how quickly they can spread with tragic results. It was based on research that showed that nearly a third of all households in England included a smoker and that these households were nearly 35 per cent more likely to have a fire than non-smoking homes.

In the UK between 2000 and 2005 there were on average 132 deaths per year in accidental home fires caused by smoking materials.

A fire doesn't have to kill you to take your life (2006)

Image from campaign materialsThis campaign was a ground-breaking attempt to drive awareness of all aspects of domestic fire safety.

The thought-provoking advertising highlighted the possible devastating emotional and financial effects of a house fire, in particular the huge sense of loss and guilt for survivors who may have lost family members and irreplaceable possessions.

It urged people to take action to prevent a house fire and subsequent loss of their family, loved ones or possessions.

Push the button! Not your luck (2003-2006)

Still from Forgetful man TV advert'Push the Button! Not Your Luck' was a hard-hitting nationwide campaign urging people to test their smoke alarm batteries once-a-week, it was designed to highlight the need for people to make testing their smoke alarm a weekly habit.

The campaign was developed from research showing that without a constant reminder to check batteries in their smoke alarms some people quickly forget to do so.

Spearheading the campaign was the "Forgetful Man" TV commercial, which showed the consequences of not checking the batteries in your alarm.


Fire starts when your attention stops (2005)

kitchen fireFollowing an alarming increase in the number of fires caused by cooking, the ‘Fire starts when your attention stops’ campaign urged people to take care whilst they were cooking.

Warning that kitchen fires can happen quickly and when you least expect them, it highlighted the risks and main causes of kitchen fires, the tragic consequences of accidental domestic fires and the horrific and disorientating effects of smoke and flames.


How would you all get out alive? (2004)

Children trapped in a house full of smokeThe ‘How would you all get out alive?’ campaign focused on the need for people to have a prepared escape plan in the event of fire, keep all exits clear and to know where keys for doors and windows are.

It encouraged people to make a Fire Action Plan so they know what to do in the event of fire. The plan should include identifying all practical escape routes, installing smoke alarms and regularly conducting your own fire drill.


Excuses Kill (2001-2002)

HearseThe 'Excuses Kill' campaign sought to tackle the 'fire safety' apathy at the heart of a 'hard-to-reach' group of non-owners by attacking the range of well-used excuses people use for not owning a smoke alarm (e.g. 'they're expensive', 'don't know where to buy one' and so on).

It was produced following evidence of a levelling off in smoke alarm ownership in England and Wales despite continuous efforts, and was aimed at non-owners who had resisted calls to fit smoke alarms in their home.

Additional links

Rapid Fire game
Take the Fire Kills challenge

Test your reactions and take the Fire Kills challenge

Further information
Resources