Householders on the Central Coast are being urged to check their smoke alarms as the State Government launches Fire and Rescue NSW’s annual Winter Fire Safety campaign.
As Winter begins and temperatures drop, Fire and Rescue crews typically see a 13% increase in house fires compared with the rest of the year.
Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch is encouraging residents to ensure they have a working smoke alarm installed, and to test it regularly.
“Here on the Central Coast, we had one of the highest fire counts in the state last Winter, with 45 residential structure fires,” she said.
“A large share of these fires occurred in homes without a functioning smoke alarm.
“The extra seconds of warning provided by smoke alarms can be the difference between getting everyone out safely and tragedy.
“This is also a great opportunity for seniors and people with mobility challenges to get their safety up to date.”
Tesch recently met with Margie Ennion from Fire and Rescue NSW on Smoke Alarm Action Day to discuss the Winter Fire Safety campaign and how the community can stay safe.
Throughout 2024 there were 3,674 home fires, killing 25 people across NSW.
In 45% of these homes, there was no working smoke alarm.
Fire and Rescue NSW also continues to urge the community to remain vigilant around the use of lithium-ion batteries.
There have been 115 lithium-ion battery incidents in NSW so far this year, with 42 related to e-bikes and e-scooters.
Devices with lithium-ion batteries should be handled with care.
Always follow safe charging, storage and disposal practices to prevent fires, explosions and other possible hazards.
A working smoke alarm provides the earliest and most effective warning of a fire, giving residents the chance to get out and call triple zero (000).
Members of the public can book a free fire safety visit and have a new smoke alarm installed all year round by visiting www.fire.nsw.gov.au/visits.
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