Winter at home – some fire safety tips

By David Claridge

Having endured COVID-19, and being well and truly into winter, the next threat is already here, a silent danger that can easily be prevented.

The Tasmania Fire Service has urged people to be vigilant over winter, and with more people expected to stay at home, to be mindful of the dangers and prevent housefires.

TFS Director of Community Fire Safety, Jeremy Smith said the risks associated with housefires were often underestimated and complacency has the potential for deadly consequences.

‘This winter, people will be spending more time at home, and the use of heating, cooking and electrical equipment will naturally increase. This means we could see an increase in housefires that can be prevented.

‘Fire can engulf your home in a matter of minutes, putting you and your family in danger,’ said Mr Smith.

Most house fires can be prevented by following these tips.

• Don’t leave cooking or candles unattended.

• Always clean your dryer’s lint filter and run a full cycle to cool down the drying items.

• Keep flammable items at least two metres from heaters and fireplaces.

• Clean and test smoke alarms once a month, replace batteries once a year and replace the device every 10 years.

‘You are twice as likely to die in a house fire if you don’t have a working smoke alarm. If you’re asleep, you won’t smell the smoke and it will likely put you into a deeper sleep. Smoke alarms prevent fatalities by waking people up.’