The Maroondah Exchange | Home fire safety
Include the garage when you check fire safety at home. FRV says batteries, gas cylinders, petrol and other chemicals can help a fire take hold quickly, and a garage fire can spread into the house.
A garage can be a workshop, a charging space and a place to put things that do not fit anywhere else. That mix is a reason to look at what is stored there, what is plugged in and whether the way out is clear.
FRV Deputy Commissioner Community Safety and Operational Training Joshua Fischer says an attached garage needs particular attention.
“Residents may think of their garages as being a separate area from the rest of their homes, but in reality, a fire that starts in your garage can very quickly spread to your family home,” he said.
Think about how a fire would be detected
FRV recommends an interconnected smoke alarm or heat detector in a garage attached to the house. Dust or exhaust fumes can activate a smoke alarm in some garages, so a heat detector may be appropriate instead.
The choice needs to suit the space. FRV also advises installing smoke alarms in rooms where devices and equipment are charged. When planning your alarm coverage, include the garage rather than stopping at the hallway.
Residents testing a smoke alarm. Image supplied by Fire Rescue Victoria.
The supplied photograph illustrates smoke alarm testing inside a home; it does not show a garage installation.
Check the charging corner
If power tools, e-bikes or other battery equipment charge in the garage, use the manufacturer’s instructions to check the setup.
Use the charger supplied with the equipment, or certified compatible third-party charging equipment that meets the battery specifications. Look for the Regulatory Compliance Mark.
Check the charger, socket and cables for damage, and stop using damaged equipment.
Avoid leaving charging batteries unattended or charging while people are asleep.
Unplug devices when they finish charging.
Keep larger devices, including e-bikes and e-scooters, away from doorways so there is a way out if a fire starts.
FRV also advises regularly checking electrical items stored and used in the garage. Electrical repairs should be done by a certified tradesperson. Turn off electrical appliances at the wall when they are not being used.
Remove rubbish and clutter, and keep petrol and chemicals away from fire and other heat sources and out of children’s reach. The Home Fire Safety booklet supplied by FRV also directs households to dispose of unwanted chemicals correctly and safely.
That does not mean putting chemicals or unwanted batteries into the nearest bin. FRV says lithium-ion batteries must never go in regular household waste or recycling collection bins. Check the appropriate disposal route for what you have.
Connect the garage to the household plan
The garage belongs in the same conversation as the rest of the home: where the alarms are, where devices charge and how everyone would get outside. Walk through the exits and your household’s safe meeting place when you practise the home fire escape plan.
If a fire occurs, get out, stay out and call Triple Zero (000). If a lithium-ion battery device catches fire, leave the area and do not attempt to put it out yourself.
For your next check, pick up three questions: what is charging, what could burn nearby, and can everyone get out? Work through each one before the garage door closes again.
This article follows The Maroondah Exchange’s report on the smoke alarm that helped a Heathmont family escape a house fire. Fire Rescue Victoria supplied the advice and quotations for this home fire safety series.
Thanks for reading,
The Maroondah Exchange