FIRE crews are urging NSW residents to change the batteries in their smoke alarms when they change their clocks back at the end of Daylight Saving on Sunday, 5 April.
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Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) Commissioner Greg Mullins said NSW fire services attended thousands of home fires across the state last year.
“FRNSW data reveals 13 per cent of the 3,900 home fires our firefighters responded to last year occurred in properties that did not have working smoke alarms,’’ Commissioner Mullins said.
‘‘These 3,900 home fires resulted in 490 injuries and, tragically, 11 deaths.
“What is tragic is that more than half (56 per cent) of fatal house fires between 2000 and 2014 had no smoke alarms present.
‘‘The majority of these deadly fires also occurred between midnight and 6am when people were asleep."
Commissioner Mullins said said a fire could take hold in just three minutes, filling a home with deadly smoke.
A working smoke alarm gives you vital seconds to get out before you are overcome, he said.
“A smoke alarm with a flat battery is just as bad as not having a smoke alarm at all.’’
