Sydney family alerted by sounding smoke alarms in early morning blaze
Question
A family home in Sydney’s inner west has been destroyed by fire just after 5:30am on Tuesday morning.
The family became aware of the fire, when their working smoke alarms began to sound. All but one member escaped through the front door while a teenage girl jumped from the balcony.
This terrible incident highlights how regularly checking your smoke alarms and having clear exit paths is invaluable to minimise the risk of injury or death during a house fire.
Test your smoke alarms weekly by pressing the test button. The horn should sound the alarm and the red led indicator should flash. Also, vacuum them every 4-6 weeks to keep them optimal operating condition.
If ever your smoke alarm fails to test correctly replace them immediately.
Australian fire services recommend photoelectric smoke alarms, escape plan
When a house fire starts it is easy to feel overwhelmed and without a fire escape plan wrong decisions can easily be made.
The purpose of a fire escape plan is to give home occupants clear paths to evacuate and assemble in a designated location.
Supplementary to the fire escape plan is checking that exits are not blocked, keeping keys near doors and windows and remember to never re-enter the building once you have evacuated.
It is also worthwhile noting that household members should regularly practise their fire escape plan and discuss the importance of being fire safety conscious.
Discuss the fire escape plan with your all household members and make sure they understand the most efficient escape routes from each area of the home.
Fire escape ladders should be installed to avoid having to jump from heights.