With winter taking its hold in the region, Gloucester Fire Station Commander captain Mark Edwards has warned residents to take every precaution to avoid starting fires in homes.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This year, Fire and Rescue NSW have targeted kitchen fires, urging people to “keep looking when cooking”.
The service attends to approximately 4500 residential fires in NSW annually, with 47 per cent of those starting in the kitchen. More than 60 per cent of fires occur between May and September.
Captain Edwards said simple measures can be taken to prevent a fire.
“Flames or heat sources being left unattended are the most common causes contributing to kitchen fires.
“It can take just three minutes for a fire to take hold, but only seconds to prevent one.
“To avoid kitchen fire catastrophes, we urge people to keep looking when cooking,” Captain Edwards said.
As last year recognised a decade of smoke alarm legislation in Australia, Captain Edwards urged residents to replace their existing alarms with ones that suit their needs.
“Given that not all smoke alarms last beyond 10 years, this year we’re encouraging residents to replace their outdated alarms with the latest photoelectric smoke alarms, which provide earlier detection and fewer false alarms,” Captain Edwards said.
