Alarms raised at daylight saving

By Lia Bichel
CASEY families are encouraged to change their batteries in their smoke alarms when they put the clocks back at the end of Daylight Saving Time this weekend.
Daylight saving ends at 2am Sunday 2 April.
Holt MP Anthony Byrne said he encouraged all local families to periodically take a few minutes to test their smoke alarms and change the batteries.
“It is also a good opportunity to help others in our community, particularly the elderly or disabled who are unable to reach their smoke alarms,” Mr Byrne said. Narre Warren 3rd Lieutenant Damien Baker said a new nine volt battery could save a life.
“Many people don’t realise that we lose our sense of smell when we go to sleep. A smoke alarm is your electronic nose which will alert you if there is smoke from a fire,” Lt Baker said.
“While many of our brigades and staff do a lot of great work behind the scenes, it’s really everyone’s responsibility to make sure their friends and family remember to change their smoke alarm battery.”
Smoke alarms are compulsory in every home and it is the legal responsibility of all owners and landlords to install working smoke alarms.
All smoke alarms must contain a battery, need to be tested regularly and need to be replaced after 10 years.
Residents are encouraged to test their smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button with a broom handle, vacuum around their smoke alarm vents yearly and replace their nine volt battery each year at the end of daylight saving.
Alarms should be located in the path of travel that people will most likely take to evacuate the building, a minimum of 100mm from walls, and not near cooking appliances and bathrooms.
If you close your bedroom door an alarm should be located in the bedroom as well as passageways.
In newly built houses, mains powered smoke alarms have back-up batteries, which should be checked and replaced.
The Narre Warren Fire Brigade will be promoting the Change Your Clock, Change Your Smoke Alarm Battery campaign at Bunnings Warehouse, Narre Warren, on Sunday.
For more information about smoke alarms or assistance changing batteries contact Narre Warren Fire Brigade on 9704 6838, email communitysafety@nwfb.org.au or visit www. changeyourbattery.com.au.