Top 6 ways to reduce the risk of a house fire

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  1. Working smoke alarms
    Ensure your home has smoke alarms that are correctly positioned, operational, regularly tested and compliant. Early warning systems can save lives and your home should a fire break out.
  2. Keep your stove and oven areas clear
    Never leave anything flammable near hot surfaces in the kitchen, especially your stove and oven spaces. Keep tea towels, cleaning cloths, placemats, curtains and cookbooks all well away from this zone. Try to avoid resting anything on hotplates even when they are turned off.
  3. Check electrical cords
    Frayed and broken charging and electrical cords can easily become a hazard as they heat up. Ensure you replace or remove immediately. Try to avoid charging phones and devices on material surfaces – again the charging packs and cords can heat up and pose a fire risk.
  4. Keep fire extinguishers and blankets handy
    Ensure you keep an in-date fire extinguisher and a fire blanket in handy places such as the kitchen. Make sure everyone in your home knows where they are located and remove any obstructions that make them hard to reach in an emergency.
  5. Store flammable products safely
    Store your household cleaners and beauty products away from heat to avoid combustion. Cool, dark cupboards with constant temperatures are ideal. This also applies to products stored in your garage and shed. Metal spaces heat up far quicker and can pose a real risk if not managed with care.
  6. Be cautious with flames
    When using candles, diffusers, fireplaces, BBQs and fire-pits make sure you keep an eye on them at all times. It is also a good idea to keep any flammable items well away from these areas and extinguish before going to bed or leaving the room/area.

Hop to it!

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Celebrate Easter in style with some homemade goodies that are all about chocolate and Easter.

Australian house fire facts

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  • When you’re asleep you won’t smell smoke from a fire
  • Electrical appliances cause 40% of house fires
  • You are twice as likely to die in a house fire without a working smoke alarm
  • The most common house fire cause is from unattended cooking followed by faulty electrical appliances, heaters, cigarettes and candles
  • Many household fires are caused by someone making a mistake – a moment of carelessness, forgetfulness or neglect
  • Children under five and people aged 65 years and over are twice as likely to get caught in a house fire
  • Many people do not have a fire safety escape plan, fire extinguisher or blanket for use in case of an emergency