WITH 1 June marking the first day of winter, residents are being urged to test their smoke alarms as part of the national safety reminder for Smoke Alarm Action Day.
As temperatures drop, the risk of house fires increases due to greater use of heaters, electric blankets, fireplaces, and cooking appliances.
At the same time, households are charging and using more electronic devices than ever before, increasing potential fire hazards in the home.
Fire authorities are reminding residents that smoke alarms provide an early warning in the event of a fire, giving occupants valuable time to escape safely. Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms significantly reduce the risk of injury and death in house fires.
Smoke Alarm Action Day carries a simple but important message: take one minute to check your smoke alarm is working, test it, and replace it if it isn’t.
“It’s something every household can do, but many people don’t think about it until it’s too late,” an event spokesperson told NOTA.
“Don’t become complacent when it comes to fire safety.”
Residents are encouraged to:
● Test every smoke alarm in their home
● Replace batteries where needed
● Replace smoke alarms older than 10 years
● Ensure alarms are properly installed and maintained
● Create and practise a home fire escape plan.
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.