The plea comes just over a week after smoke alarms fitted by firefighters saved the lives of an elderly woman and her two dogs following a blaze at her home in King George V Avenue, Lynn.

It meant firefighters, who fitted alarms six months earlier as part of the brigade's free fire risk-assessment service, were alerted in time to lead the 78-year-old woman and her two terriers from the building before they were hurt.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service is now urging residents and businesses to make a pledge to be safe this year and has issued the following advice to help:

Make sure your home/business has working smoke alarms and that you check them regularly;

Check where you store your rubbish – don't allow rubbish, especially things which catch alight easily, such as paper, to accumulate inside or near to a building;

At work, make sure you don't create a fire hazard by storing rubbish in stairwells/access areas or block fire exits;

Make sure you have an escape plan at home and that family members are aware of what to do in the event of a fire;

Do not overload sockets – use one plug in each and check for signs of loose wiring and faulty plugs and sockets;

Make sure you put out cigarettes. Someone dies from a fire caused by a cigarette every three days in the UK. Cigarettes can burn at temperatures of more than 700°C.

Doug Underwood, community fire safety team manager, said: "Too many of us think we are safe in our own home or that things won't happen to us. Our lives depend on us making the right decision at the right time – and the right time when it comes to safety is always now."

Richard Rockcliffe, cabinet member for fire and community protection, added: "The start of the New Year is always a good time to think afresh and nothing can be more important than making sure you and your family stay safe.

"This also applies to businesses and organisations large and small."

For more information about getting a free smoke alarm fitted, home fire-risk assessments or general fire safety visit the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service website at: www.norfolkfireservice.co.uk or call freephone 0800 9178137.