December Tuesday Boxing Day

FIRE SAFTEY IN THE HOME

Kitchen

Stovetop is clean and free of any spilled fats or burnt foods. Rangehood filters have been cleaned recently. Fire extinguisher near the kitchen and I know how to use it.

Living Room And Bedrooms

Smoke alarms installed in every bedroom, living area and hallway in the house — ideally, long-life photoelectric ones. Matches, lighters or other fire starting tools are stored out of reach of children. PowerPoints' or multi-boards are not overloaded with appliances that use a lot of power, like heaters. Lights are fitted with the correct bulb size and rating (watts). SMOKE ALARMS. Electric blankets are in good condition, no more than 5 years Do you have them in your home?. If not time you old. purchased some. They are not expensive compared to Torch near every bed (in case of emergencies). what you could loose if you should have a fire. Fireplace They could be the saviour of your family, pets and home/has a screen with a proper fireguard, and the chimney has been checked and/or swept in the last year. contents.

Laundry

There's no lint built up in the clothes dryer filter (you should check this after every use). The clothes dryer has been checked recently by a professional to ensure there's no dust built up in the back (don't open up the dryer yourself, as this will breach the warranty). There's plenty of ventilation and air space around the clothes dryer. Don’t think it can’t and won’t happen to you! … We all make mistakes and you never know day to day what is in store for you and your family. Make sure you check that it is working from time to time see that the batteries are good. Do you have a Fire Extinguisher in your home. You can never be too safe or prepared when it comes to fire and safety. A fire extinguisher just might be enough to put a small fire out before it gets away from you.

Appliance

WHEN DID YOU CHECK YOUR SMOKE ALARM? Turn off appliances when not in use. If practical, unplug them ARE THE BATTERYS FLAT at the wall as well. DON’T LIVE REGRETING YOU DID’NT CHECK Keep all electrical appliances away from water. YOUR SMOKE ALARM When buying second hand appliances, ensure they've been Get them Check them NOW tested by a licensed electrician or gas fitter, and have been Put Smoke Alarms in all your rooms certified as safe. Do not place fans, heaters, televisions or other electrical equipment in areas without good airflow, as they may overheat. If you're worried about the conditions of any appliances (like electric blankets, heaters, air conditioners or fans), have them checked by a qualified electrician.

Leads And Cords

Don't overload multi-boards. At most, plug in one appliance per wall or multi-board socket. Never plug an adaptor or multi-board into another adaptor or multi-board. Make sure leads and cords are in good condition and not frayed. Never put extension cords under carpets or mats, and avoid using them while they are tightly coiled. Ensure furniture does not rest on top of electrical leads. Remember that extension cords are not designed to be permanent replacements to your home's internal wiring.

No power

Entry To Your Property

What would you do if the power was out for days? How will you see, cook, keep warm? Power cuts could affect EFTPOS and ATM machines, so make sure you have some cash at home, or enough supplies to see you through three days or more. light up Make sure you have torches and batteries, either in your emergency kit or somewhere everyone can find them in the dark. stay tuned in Have a solar or battery powered radio so you can keep up with the latest news and alerts. Know which radio stations to tune in to for information during an emergency. stock up Have a stock of food that doesn’t need to be cooked (canned is good) or something to cook your food on (bbq, camp stove). Don’t forget food If we can't get to you, we cant help you. It's important for babies and pets.to make sure there's suitable access to your home for emergency services. Fire appliances are generally larger and fridge first If the power goes out, eat the food from your fridge first, then heavier than those used by other emergency services. Poor or inadequate access can result in a delayed response. your freezer, before you eat the food in the cupboard or your emergency kit. Top tip Talk to your neighbours about what they’ll do if the power is out. To ensure we have sufficient access, make sure your driveway is at least 4 x 4 meters. You might find they have a gas BBQ and you have enough food to share (or the other way round).