Listen: It's important not to overlook the importance of winter fire safety - but not for the reason you may suspect!
By Salt 106.5 TeamFriday 7 Jun 2024The Morning Wake-up with JordanaNewsReading Time: 2 minutes
Jackson Holt, Specification Manager at Brooks Australia chatted with Salt 106.5’s Jordana, about what we can do to keep our homes fire-safe this Winter.
Key points
- Around 40% of all fires are started by electrical faults, so double check for stray cables – and don’t leave them unattended.
- Make sure you test smoke alarms monthly and vacuum them out every six months.
- It’s important for all homes to have an evacuation plan and particularly multiple storey houses.
“People just tend to underestimate the importance of fire safety in winter,” Jackson said.
“Last winter, 43% of all fires started in the kitchen and research has shown that one in two people have left the kitchen unattended while cooking.”
Around 40% of all fires are started by electrical faults, so double check for stray cables – and don’t leave them unattended.
Despite this winter being forecasted as one of the warmest on record, it’s important not to overlook the importance of winter fire safety. While gas heaters and electric blankets are often the initial suspects, according to Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, cooking fires are the most common source of residential fires.
On average, Aussies spend one hour a day preparing food and drink, however research from Brooks Australia reveals that 47% of Aussie parents with children under five years old have left their food cooking on the stove unattended, heightening the risk of a fire.
3 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe This Winter
1. Check electrical products
Make sure all electrical products used through winter such as heaters and electric blankets are in perfect working order before you use them.
Make sure you test smoke alarms monthly and vacuum them out every six months.
Around 40% of all fires are started by electrical faults, so double check for stray cables – and don’t leave them unattended.
2. Test smoke alarms
We all know it, but it’s important that we regularly check our smoke alarms. Jackson says that sadly, 60% of fires become fatal without a working smoke alarm.
Make sure you test smoke alarms monthly and vacuum them out every six months to ensure there’s no dust or bugs makes a big difference – and helps make sure you don’t get any false alarms.
3. Know your evacuation plan
It’s important for all homes to have an evacuation plan and particularly multiple storey houses.
It’s important for all homes to have an evacuation plan and particularly multiple storey houses.
When there is a fire event, it is crucial that everybody acts as appropriately and as fast as possible.
As Jackson says, there’s no way of knowing where a fire will start so you need to be prepared for all options, with a plan for how you’ll get your family safety out of the top or bottom floor.
This winter, be proactive about fire safety by staying vigilant in the kitchen, as well as by having working smoke alarms installed in your home.
Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro