Local CFA firefighters Chris Hall, Andrew Judd and Josey Sensi prepare for the fire season.By Kelly Yates
FIRE danger is everywhere and local firefighter Captain Alan Boyd is warning Casey residents to be especially careful over the warmer months.
House fires occur every day, he says, and statistics show that most are started by the householders themselves.
And even though the majority are accidental, many are caused through pure negligence.
Captain Boyd said building regulations required that a smoke detector be installed in every home and the CFA recommended that a smoke alarm be installed outside each bedroom or sleeping area.
Smoke alarms should be tested regularly and the batteries changed at least once a year, he said. Fire authorities frequently found that in homes where lives had been lost, the smoke detectors were not working.
Captain Boyd also issued a warning about deadlocks.
“Deadlocks are an important part of home security,” he said, “but they should not be activated when people are inside the house.”
Many people caught in house fires, in particular the elderly, were found dead near doorways fitted with deadlocks, unable to get out.
Captain Boyd said one in four accidents with children involved fire. Matches, lighters and candles should always be kept out of reach of small children.
Younger children should be taught to bring matches and lighters to an adult immediately while older children should be taught to use matches only in the presence of adult supervision.
Captain Boyd said some of the major causes of house fires involved stoves, faulty wiring, electrical appliances, smoking and flammable liquids. Other simple measures to help prevent fires included making sure faulty appliances were repaired or discarded, that pots and pans were not left unattended, and that electric cords, curtains and tea towels were at a safe distance from the stove.
Only a qualified electrician should be used for maintenance work and a safety certificate issued after the work was done.
Captain Boyd warned people not to smoke in bed and to make sure butts were properly extinguished before being placed in bins. Flammable liquids such as petrol and kero must be kept away from heaters and hot water service pilot flames and all labels checked before usage.
Adhering to these simple tips could prevent a house fire and therefore save lives, Captain Boyd said.
