Victoria’s firefighters are reminding people to check their smoke alarms this week if they missed the daylight saving campaign over last weekend (3 April).
Chief Officer for the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Jason Heffernan said it was vital for families to conduct this life-saving check, because only working smoke alarms saved lives.
“If there is a fire in your home, a working smoke alarm can allow you to evacuate early and survive,” Chief Officer Heffernan said.
“We know that many fatal fires start at night and the smell of smoke won’t wake you up – so ensuring your smoke alarms are working is crucial to protecting you and your family,” he said.
Chief Officer Heffernan said checking a smoke alarm involved pressing the ‘test’ button to ensure it was in working order and cleaning it with a duster, vacuum cleaner or gentle wipe to remove particles that could impact its performance.
Commissioner of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), Ken Block said cleaning smoke alarms regularly was also important.
“There’s no point having a smoke alarm installed if it isn’t working – a smoke alarm that is properly maintained can save your life if there is a fire,” Commissioner Block said.
“It will only take a few minutes to clean and then test your smoke alarm by pushing the test button,” he said.
“It’s a small step you can take to ensure your smoke alarms will work when you need it most.”
Commissioner Block said regardless of the type of smoke alarm installed, all smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years.
