The recent cold snap has prompted Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) to encourage residents to take extra precautions to avoid fires in the home.
Community Safety and Research Chief Superintendent at FRNSW, Mick Morris said the cooler months see a 10 per cent increase in the number of house fires.
He said there are more fires in bedrooms and lounge rooms due to heaters, electric blankets and the like.
“Don’t put yourself or your family at risk,” Chief Superintendent Morris said.
“Keep everything in the house ‘a metre from the heater’.”
He said there were several simple steps people can take to guard against the risk of fire, including; Turning off heaters and electrical blankets before leaving the house or going to bed; cleaning lint filters in the clothes dryer; and not overloading power boards.
“Don’t use LPG cylinders for cooking or heating indoors,” he said.
“Ensure you have a working smoke alarm.”
Chief Superintendent Morris said residents should also ‘keep looking when cooking’ to avoid kitchen fire catastrophes.
“Kitchen fires account for 45 per cent of all residential fires and 34 per cent of injuries in NSW,” he said.
“Flames or heat sources being left unattended are the most common cause contributing to kitchen fires.”
He said FRNSW recommended a simple safety checklist for home cooks.
“It can take just three minutes for a fire to catch hold, but only seconds to prevent one Chief Superintendent Morris
More information and tips on winter fire safety can be accessed at this PS News link.
