With Winter fire fast approaching now is the time to check off a few tasks around the home. Devastatingly, approximately 20 people die each year in home fires caused by faulty electrical appliances, heaters and fireplaces.
Here are a few simple tips to ensure you and your family are safe from any harm.
For those with fireplaces make sure you have your chimney and flues cleaned to ensure there is not a build up of soot that may catch alight. For heaters make sure any dust build up is removed and it is in good working order. Remember, keep everything a metre from the heater!
Clothes dryers also need a bit of regular attention, as those lint filters catch quite a lot of lint and fluff which can cause your dryer to overheat and catch alight. Ensure the lint catcher is cleared before every use.
Smoke alarms should also be checked and tested. If you can’t recall when the battery was changed its likely time to pop a fresh battery in. Use a marker to mark the month and year it was last changed.
For those snuggling up into bed, check those Electric Blankets for any frayed cords or other damage. Never use wheat bags to warm your bed as numerous residential fires that have occurred due to wheat bags overheating in the microwave oven or wheat bags being used to warm bedding materials. Grab a hot water bottle instead.
Most importantly have a chat with your family and plan your escape plan. Just as we do in summer in case of bushfires, having a home escape plan increases your chances of getting out safely especially at nighttime when you are asleep
For more information, please visit the Home Fire Safety pages from the NSW RFS (https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/home-fire-safety) and Fire Rescue NSW (https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=879)
