Change your clocks, change your battery. That’s the message coming out of Fire and Rescue NSW units along the Far South Coast this week, saying the end of daylight saving is the right time to check or change the batteries in household smoke alarms.
James Blakeney from Fire and Rescue Moruya told East Coast Radio it’s a good reminder for people in the South East to check their smoke alarms as well as installing new ones if needed.
“You can either grab a broom handle or get safely up on a ladder to hold down the test button on the smoke alarm, and check for your family or the residents you live with that the smoke alarm is fully functioning,” Blakeney said.
“Even if it’s still working, if you haven’t changed the batteries in the alarm for a while, it’s a good idea to put fresh batteries in as well.”
Mr Blakeney said people can book a fire and rescue team member to assist them with this if needed.
“We have a home fire safety check program, it’s a process where we come out to a household and check general home fire safety,” Blakeney said.
“We’ll check smoke alarms are within date, we’ll check the battery, and we’ll give the homeowner a fire safe plan for if something was to ever happen,” he said.
“To arrange one of these visits, people can either go down to their local Fire and Rescue NSW unit, or alternatively call or email their local unit.”
For more information on fire safety and checking smoke alarms visit fire.nsw.gov.au
Images: Fire and Rescue NSW
