Cranbourne CFA Fire Officer Phil Charles is reminding residents of the importance of lifesaving smoke alarms in the home. By Alison Noonan
A PROPOSAL to establish a national domestic fire toll has been welcomed by local CFA groups. The reporting system, which would regularly collate the number of house fires across the country in a similar fashion to the road toll, is aimed at reducing the increasing number of fire fatalities.
David Hallett, Store Manager of Archicentre Victoria, the company behind the initiative, said the system would highlight the importance of fire safety in the home and support current awareness programs. “We are seeing dangerous situations every day which place families at risk,” Mr Hallett said.
“Accidents involving fire within the home see hundreds of Australians hospitalised each year and unfortunately many people killed.”
The proposal comes in the wake of a recent spate of house fires in Casey, particularly in Hampton Park. A family of four was lucky to escape alive when their Templar Avenue home was destroyed by fire just weeks ago, while two young girls were rescued from their burning house in Bateman Grove.
Cranbourne CFA Fire Officer Phil Charles welcomed the idea for a national fire toll, claiming any initiative to promote fire safety in the home was worthwhile. He said that while the fire safety message was widely promoted to the community, more was needed to ensure all families and home owners complied.
“We still find that many properties have smoke alarms that aren’t working or (there are) none at all,” Mr Charles said.
“Smoke alarms are the simplest and most inexpensive things that you can install in your home to save lives. Make sure you test them regularly. This applies to landlords as well,” he said.
Mr Charles encouraged all families to create and practise a fire evacuation plan. “Make sure that all family members are aware and can respond confidently in an emergency.
“Also families need to look out for other family members, such as elderly or disabled, who may not be able to look after themselves in an emergency,” he said.
