Many parents don't have a fire escape plan for their homes

The poll of 1,517 parents with children aged under 18 found 50 per cent also don't have a fire escape plan.

Despite this, 63 per cent with kids aged three to 10 are confident their children would know what to do in case of a fire in the home

Myleene Klass, author of ‘They Don’t Teach This at School’ is working alongside Kidde, which commissioned the research to launch its Cause for Alarm campaign to highlight the importance of having smoke and fire alarms in the house.

To help children learn what to do in a fire, Kidde has created the Cause For Alarm jingle, “Beeps That Last, Get Out Fast”.

Klass said: “We should be empowering our kids to feel confident they know what to do in the event of a house fire. With the right information, families and children can learn and master what they should do. Fire safety is top of mind in our home, and I want to help make it a must have in homes across the UK.”

The study found that for almost a third (29 per cent) of those with children under 18, cost was the biggest barrier to having fire safety alarms or equipment, while a shocking one in 10 claimed they don’t see the need for fire safety equipment in the home.

It also found when thinking about an emergency exit strategy, 15 per cent don’t know how many exits they would factor into a fire escape plan, and 30 per cent would only incorporate one exit route – potentially leaving them at risk should fire or smoke prevent them from reaching it.

Those in a flat are worse impacted, with that figure creeping up to 39 per cent, and among parents of children aged three to 10, fire safety (55 per cent) was outranked as a major priority, behind road safety (77 per cent) and stranger danger (72 per cent).

The research revealed of those who do have alarms, four in 10 parents haven’t tested their device within the last six months.

Rebecca Cackett, a spokesperson for Kidde, said: "We want to make fire safety a top priority in every household and keep children safe in their homes. With the right fire safety education and home safety products, we can help prevent devastating fatalities. We are calling on everyone to work together to help spread this message and keep our children and loved ones safe.”

Home fire safety tips

1. Make sure your home has working smoke alarms. Push the test button to ensure each alarm works at least once a month.
2. Choose the right alarm for the right location in every room and on each level i.e. heat alarm for kitchens and smoke alarms in hallways and bedrooms.
3. Create a fire escape plan and include every room in your house. Talk about your plan with everyone in your home.
4. Locate two ways out of each room in your home and make sure everyone knows them.
5. Pick a meeting place outside. It should be in front of your home. Everyone will meet at the meeting place.
6. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to dial 999.
7. Practice your home fire drill at least monthly and in the daytime and at night.
8. For those most vulnerable in your home, have a plan for a specific person to help them escape.
9. Don’t hide if there is a fire, as this will make it much harder for parents (or firefighters) to find and help you. When you hear beeps that last, you need to get out fast and stay out.
10. Before you open a door, check if it’s warm with the back of your hand. If it is, don’t open it – there may be a fire on the other side. If there’s smoke, get down low.