People in Suffolk being encouraged to get their electric blankets checked for free, emphasising the risks involved in using defective electric blankets. People in Suffolk are being asked to get their electric blankets tested for free, with chiefs in the fire services emphasising the risk of using defective ones. This initiative is being undertaken by the Suffolk Fire and Rescue service, Age UK, Electrical Safety Council and Suffolk Trading Standards are urging residents to get their five minutes booking for as free test thereby lowering the fire incidents caused by faulty electric blankets.
These checks are being arranged in all fire stations throughout Suffolk and residents have the convenience of giving their electric blankets at Haverhill Fire station in Ehringshausen way any time between 9am in the morning and 12 noon on the 20th of September and collect them at the same time on Monday the 1st of October. It is imperative that they book ahead of time by calling 01473 260588. The Cabinet Member for Public protection of Suffolk County Council, councillor Colin Spence stated that home appliances that were not well kept could in all probability set off a fire incident, annihilate homes, and take lives. Therefore he suggested that before the start of the winter it was imperative that people make the most of this offer for free testing and get an appointment booked for their own safety and solace and this is particularly applicable to people who owned blankets that were more than 3 years old. In the course of the past three years the Fire and Rescue Service and Trading Standards had checked more than 1029 electric blankets of which 262 were discovered to be highly risky and were confiscated.
Regular checking of these blankets should be done every 3 years and should be discarded if risk symptoms like fraying of fabric, elements being exposed, creases or folds, burn marks, patches of dampness, damaged or missing tie tap z, deteriorated flex or loose connections were seen.
