FEWER people are being killed or injured as a result of not having a working smoke alarm in their homes.
Just one person died and 13 other were injured in house fires in Notts in 2012-13 where there were either no smoke alarms or alarms that were not working.
In comparison, there were three deaths and 25 injuries in 2011-12, and four deaths and 25 injuries in 2010-11.
Among those to escape injury were Teri Baker and her six-year-old daughter Abbie when a fire broke out at their home in Roker Close, Aspley, last December.
Abbie, now 7, was sleeping on the top bunk of her bed when she was awoken by the smoke.
She screamed out and woke Teri, 27.
Teri's husband, Steve, 40, said the couple had taken down two smoke alarms to change their batteries in the days before the fire but hadn't put them back up.
The cause of the fire was attributed to a fault with their shower.
Mr Baker, who was at work at the time of the fire, said: "I could have lost two members of my family. If the smoke alarm had gone off, they could have got out or put out the fire earlier."
A new fire alarm, as well as heat and carbon monoxide detectors, have now been installed at the house. The family check them on a weekly basis.
Mr Baker said: "It's cost between £55,000 and £60,000 to get back to normal and caused us a lot of upset. We're still getting over it."
He added: "I'm glad fewer people are getting injured because there's nothing worse than being in that situation. You always think it's not going to happen to you, and when it does, it's shocking."
Notts Fire and Rescue Service welcomed the drop but reiterated the need for the public to check that their smoke alarms work.
Kevin Tedds, city risk reduction officer at Notts Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It's really pleasing to note the high percentage of dwelling fires we are attending where smoke alarms are fitted.
"Much of this can be attributed to the hard work of our firefighters and risk reduction teams, who are working to ensure that everyone has working smoke alarms.
"However, we still need the public's help in getting this message out there.
"We recommend that one smoke alarm is fitted on each floor of a house and that it is tested once a week."
Firefighters have been called out to 146 house fires in Notts between April 1 and June 12.
Of those, 38 had no smoke alarms fitted, while five either had a faulty alarm or one that didn't have a battery fitted.
These fires resulted in two people being injured, but no deaths.
Mr Tedds added: "Smoke alarms literally are life-savers, giving vital early warning of smoke, fumes or fire and critical extra time to escape and call for help."
Nottingham City Homes said it was making smoke alarms compulsory in all of its 29,000 properties. It is also looking into installing sprinkler systems into some of its Independent Living Scheme properties for older people.
A spokesman said: "In regard to fire safety, we are in the process of installing smoke detection devices in all of our properties.
"This programme of works is due to be completed by the end of 2014.
"It is not mandatory to install these, but we have made a commitment to do it."
