First of all, Happy New Year from Ultimate Security, we hope you had a happy and safe holiday period. Given it’s a new year, we wanted to take this opportunity to discuss talk about the importance of smoke alarms within the home. The statistics on deaths from house fires can be alarming and in fact outweigh all other natural hazards combined. This article is here as a reference to help you and your family ensure your home is well prepared for any potential risks.
First and foremost, knowledge is key. A great starting point is to research and understand any legislation pertaining to smoke alarms in your state as each state varies with different regulations. As an example, NSW legislation stipulates that residents must have a smoke alarm installed in any premises where people sleep on every level of your home. This includes owner occupied homes, rental properties, relocatable homes, caravans and camper-vans or any other residential building where people sleep. The smoke alarms must meet the requirements of Australian Standard AS 3786. Whereas in QLD, the legislation varies for owner occupier, landlord, renter, building new and renovating and selling or leasing. Find out what your state guidelines are and ensure you are smoke alarm compliant.
Armed with knowledge, The next thing you can do within the home is prepare and eliminate any potential fire risks within the home. These include the following;
- Unsafe power boards and electrical outlets
- Don’t overload power and electrical boards
- Use surge protectors
- Try not to fall asleep with electric blankets on
- Don’t keep heaters on unsupervised
- Don’t leave lit candles on
- Extinguish any cigarettes completely
- Ensure your smoke alarms are in working order
The last point on our check list can often be where people come unstuck. Having a smoke alarm is one thing however maintenance is crucial and of upmost importance to keeping you and your family safe. Regular inspections every 6 months including battery inspections are the basics in preparing yourself. Keep a supply of batteries on hand.
How can Ultimate help?
Ultimate Security recommends the installation of monitored smoke alarms to ensure the best possible solution for your home. The benefits of putting in Ultimate smoke alarms with your home security system mean your home and family have a trusted level of protection with certified technicians. Most importantly, our smoke alarms are monitored 24/7, giving you peace of mind that Ultimate Security will action all activations including;
- Any smoke or fire that sets off the alarm
- Any low battery or faults within the devices
Monitoring your smoke alarms much like your security means you have the team 24/7 here at Ultimate Security to assist you in any emergency situations, where you may not be home, are not thinking clearly or just need help in a tense situation.
For more information please do not hesitate to call us on (02) 9311 1111 or check out our home security systems & smoke alarm packages for your home today.