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Don’t be late installing a smoke alarm, urge fire officersIssued: 28/4/2006NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) fire officers from Kurri Kurri Fire Station today reminded Kurri home and shared accommodation owners to install smoke alarms before 1 May when they become compulsory. Station Commander Ken Maxwell said that as many as 670,000 homes across NSW were still without smoke alarms, putting occupants at grave risk. “Don’t gamble with your family’s life by waiting until 1 May to install a smoke alarm or your loved ones could become another home fire statistic,” Mr Maxwell said. “During 2005, the NSWFB attended thousand of house fires including 31 in which 37 people lost their lives. Tragically there were no smoke alarms in 71 per cent of the homes where the fatal fires occurred, and in some of the other fatal fires, there are questions about whether or not the smoke alarms were in working order. “Almost 59 per cent of deaths from house fires occurred during the sleeping hours, from 9pm to 6am, and smoke alarms and are designed to wake people during a fire. “If you’re asleep at the time of the fire, the smoke, which is full of toxic gases, may numb your senses and put you into a deeper sleep. The high-pitched sound of a smoke alarm is designed to wake you and other family members before the smoke can kill you,” Mr Maxwell said. All existing buildings where people sleep must have working smoke alarms from 1 May 2006. This includes residential houses, flats and units, boarding houses, motels, hotels, hostels, hospitals, nursing homes and manufactured and relocatable homes. Newly-fitted smoke alarms must comply with Australian Standard 3786. In homes without existing smoke alarms, owners are required to install – as a minimum standard – a battery-powered smoke alarm. This requirement applies to both owner-occupier and landlord homeowners. “The NSWFB, however, recommends owners consider installing hard-wired alarms, which can be interconnected so that they all activate if smoke is detected, therefore providing additional warning and time to escape,” Mr Maxwell said. Existing, functional and appropriately-located smoke alarms do not have to be replaced. The number of alarms needed to be installed depends on the size of the building and its configuration. “In homes, the regulation stipulates that an alarm must be placed on or near the ceiling in corridors or hallways associated with bedrooms or if there is no corridor or hallway, between the sleeping areas and the living areas,” Station Commander Ken Maxwell said. A smoke alarm is also required in each storey of the building. Installing a smoke alarm or alarms is compulsory from 1 May however property owners will be given six months to adjust to this requirement before becoming liable to pay fines for non-compliance. It will be an offence immediately after 1 May to interfere with or remove a smoke alarm, unless it is to repair, maintain or replace the alarm. “If you have any queries about smoke alarms or their installation please contact your local fire station. Our fire officers will be more than happy to help,” Mr Maxwell said. For further information on smoke alarms call the Department of Planning Help Line 1300 858 812 or go to the NSWFB web site at www.fire.nsw.gov.au Contact: Station Commander Ken Maxwell Kurri Kurri Fire Station Phone number (02) 4937 1025
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