The Maroondah Exchange | Home fire safety
Test your smoke alarms every month, and replace the smoke alarms themselves after 10 years. Those are two checks Fire Rescue Victoria wants households to keep on the calendar.
Our recent Heathmont story showed why the warning matters: a working smoke alarm alerted the people inside a burning home, and they escaped safely. The follow-up question is a practical one. When did you last check the smoke alarms at your place?
Residents testing a smoke alarm. Image supplied by Fire Rescue Victoria.
FRV Deputy Commissioner Community Safety and Operational Training Joshua Fischer says working smoke alarms give people a better chance of escaping.
“In an emergency such as a house fire, seconds can make all the difference. Working smoke alarms give you the best chance to get out safely and call Triple Zero (000),” he said.
Make the monthly test a household habit
FRV recommends pressing the test button each month until the smoke alarm sounds. A familiar date or a reminder on your phone can help turn a job that is easy to forget into something you actually do.
The battery and the smoke alarm also have different replacement dates. Changing a replaceable battery does not give an old smoke alarm another 10 years of service.
Every month: press the test button until the smoke alarm sounds.
At least once a year: clean the smoke alarm with a vacuum cleaner.
Every year: change batteries in smoke alarms that have replaceable batteries.
After 10 years: replace the whole smoke alarm.
FRV recommends smoke alarms powered by a 10-year long-life battery. That recommendation does not mean every smoke alarm has a battery you can change yourself, or that a battery-only smoke alarm can replace a required hardwired one. Check the instructions and the requirements for your property when arranging a replacement.
Have a look at where the smoke alarms are
FRV’s advice goes beyond having a smoke alarm somewhere in the hallway. It recommends working smoke alarms in every bedroom and living area, including other areas where someone may sleep.
FRV also recommends interconnected smoke alarms. When one detects a fire, they all sound, so the warning can reach people in other parts of the home. Its installation advice is to place smoke alarms on the ceiling at least 30 centimetres from a wall.
The right equipment matters too. FRV’s smoke alarm guidance explains property requirements and options. Its Home Fire Safety booklet also points to specialised smoke alarms for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
A resident testing a smoke alarm. Image supplied by Fire Rescue Victoria.
A warning needs a way out
A working smoke alarm is part of the plan. Everyone at home also needs to know how to leave, who may need help and where to meet outside. Talk it through while things are calm, then practise together.
If a fire occurs, get out, stay out and call Triple Zero (000).
For this month’s check, start with the test button. Then check how old each smoke alarm is and whether your sleeping and living areas are covered. That gives you a useful list of what needs attention.
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