Fed: Don't let burnt toast get in way of fire safety
By Catherine Best30 Mar 2009 12:01 AM
Eds: Embargoed until 0001 AEDT Monday, March 30
MELBOURNE, March 30 AAP - Burnt toast is a breakfast spoiler but it also can be a fire hazard, with new research showing one in five people take down their smoke detector or remove the battery when cooking sets it off.
In one-third of cases, the alarm is not replaced immediately and some are not replaced at all.
The habit, revealed in the Duracell National Fire Safety Report, could have disastrous consequences.
Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) community education executive manager Rob Taylor said 30 per cent of house fires firefighters attended did not have working smoke alarms.
"Having a working smoke alarm halves your chance of having a fire death or serious fire in the home," he told AAP.
"It's exactly the same as seatbelts. A seatbelt doesn't prevent an accident, but it greatly enhances your survivability of an accident."
As Victoria, NSW, South Australian, Tasmania and the ACT prepare to wind their clocks back next weekend, fire authorities are reminding households to change their smoke alarm batteries.
The fire safety report found about 800,000 Australians never replaced their batteries.
Last year there were more than 13,000 house fires across Australia.
Mr Taylor said non-functioning fire alarms were a huge concern, in some cases preventing the early warnings crucial to saving lives and property.
He urged all households to adhere to the "change your clock, change your smoke alarm battery" mantra next weekend and assist the elderly and disabled do so.
People could prevent false alarms by avoiding putting smoke detectors in kitchen and bathroom areas.
Otherwise photo-electric smoke alarms, which are less likely to be triggered by cooking fumes, could be used, he said.
People are urged to only purchase Australian-standard smoke alarms and to test them monthly.
Smoke alarms should be fitted in all bedrooms and hallways between sleeping areas and exits.
They should also be interconnected so that every alarm activates, regardless of the location of a fire.
