With winter in full swing, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) has urged all residents to be cautious of fire dangers in the home.
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FRNSW community safety and research chief superintendent Mick Morris said the cooler months see a 10 per cent increase in the number of home fires, with more fires in bedrooms and loungerooms due to heater and electric blanket use.
“Don’t put yourself or your family at risk,” Chief Superintendent Morris said.
“We want to remind people to be careful when using heaters and to keep everything in the house ‘a metre from the heater’.”
He said that residents can follow simple steps to prepare their homes against the risk of fire this winter:
- Turn off heaters and electric blankets before leaving home or getting into bed
- Clean lint filters in the clothes dryer before or after each use
- Don’t overload powerboards
- Keep candles away from curtains and put them out before leaving the room
- Don’t use LPG cylinders for cooking or heating indoors as they can leak and the gas is both toxic and highly explosive.
- Ensure you have a working smoke alarm
Chief Superintendent Morris said residents should also ‘keep looking when cooking’ to avoid catastrophes in the kitchen.
“Kitchen fires account for 45 per cent of all residential fires and 34 per cent of injuries in NSW.
“Flames or heat sources being left unattended are the most common cause contributing to kitchen fires.
“It can take just three minutes for a fire to take hold, but only seconds to prevent one,” Chief Superintendent Morris said.
Taree Fire Station Commander Peter Willard said it is of high importance that older residents are prepared in case of a house fire.
“Being physically impaired or frail due to advanced age can significantly affect your ability to survive if unfortunate enough to be caught in a home fire,” Commander Willard said.
Residents are reminded to contact Triple Zero (000) in an emergency situation.
