House fires

• email
• save PDF
• print

How to prevent house fires

• Don't leave cooking unattended on the stove. If deep-frying or using a wok, make sure flames cannot get into the fat, and keep an eye on the temperature of the oil.
• Replace faulty or worn-out electrical appliances and those with frayed cords.
• Use power boards instead of double adapters, and use safety switches wherever possible.
• If you have a clothes dryer, clean the lint filter after you’ve used it and let the dryer go through a cool-down cycle. If you dry your clothes in front of a heater, make sure they don't get too hot.
• Regularly check the gas cylinder on the barbecue. Before lighting the barbecue, check the cylinder's expiry date. Check also that connections on the hose are tight and that there is no leakage, and that the hose itself is intact with no signs of cracking.
• Keep matches and lighters well away from children.

Smoke alarms

Smoke alarms give an early warning in the event of fire. These alert you quickly, and give you a chance to get out of the house to a safe location.

• Install smoke alarms, change the batteries once a year (when daylight savings starts) and test alarms regularly (instructions for testing alarms should be on the packet or inside the alarm).
• Install smoke alarms outside bedroom areas and on each level of the house. For extra protection, you can also install a smoke alarm in children's bedrooms and in the bedrooms of people who sleep with the door closed.

Fire-fighting equipment

• You can buy an extinguisher and fire blanket that conform to Australian Standards from a hardware store. Fire blankets must kept at least a metre from the stove and the fire extinguisher is best located near the entrance to the kitchen.
• A 1-kg dry chemical fire extinguisher is suitable for most small household fires. Shake occasionally to prevent the powder from settling, and have it serviced every six months.
• Household extinguishers are designed for one use only – replace your extinguisher as soon as possible after use.
• Never use water to put out a fat or oil fire or an electrical fire.

Being prepared for a house fire

• Practice a home escape plan with your children and family. Choose a meeting place outside the house and make sure everyone knows to meet there.
• Reinforce the ‘stop, drop, cover and roll’ drill in case children's clothes catch fire.
• Reinforce the ‘get down low and go, go, go’ escape drill for crawling under smoke and poisonous gases.
• Make sure you have two exits from every room in the house.
• Never deadlock doors when you are home.
• Dial 000 in an emergency. Ask for the fire brigade. Know your address and the closest cross street.
• In the event of a fire, keep a close watch on children once outside to make sure they don’t run back into the house.

Using an extinguisher

Use an extinguisher if:

• You can extinguish the fire quickly.
• You are not putting your life at risk by staying near the fire.
• Everyone else has left the area.
• You know your extinguisher is suitable for putting out the type of fire you are facing.

Once you have used your extinguisher, call 000 so that firefighters can investigate. The fire could have travelled up the fan area and into the ceiling, for example.

Using a fire blanket

• Use a fire blanket to smother fires in cooking fat or to wrap around people if their clothes catch alight.
• Place (don’t throw) the fire blanket on the burning fat.
• Turn off the heat source and leave the blanket on for at least 15 minutes.
• Dial 000 to call the fire brigade.

• Rated4 ratingsRate this item
• FeedbackTell us what you think of this item