Check that your smoke alarms are working when you change the clocks forward one hour on Sunday 27^th September – it could save your life this summer.  While fire is more often associated with winter, the number of house fires is fairly constant throughout the year.

Remember:

• A smoke alarm can warn you of fire but only if the battery is working
• When you’re asleep you can’t smell smoke – you need an audible warning device to alert you to a fire
• A sound of a smoke alarm could be the first warning that your home is on fire
• Most batteries need replacing every year to ensure the smoke alarms will work properly
• Give a helping hand to elders – check their smoke alarms for them

If you don’t have a smoke alarm, make the start of daylight savings the time to install at least one in your home.  We can provide information on where to install smoke alarms and how best to escape from your house in a fire emergency.  Please call us and leave a message on 413 9847.

Smoke alarms act as an early warning device and give people a few crucial minutes warning to get out of a house quickly in case of fire.  The average New Zealand home can be destroyed by fire in less than four minutes.  Make sure you know how to escape from your burning home.  Don’t just think it’s good to have an escape plan, PRACTICE IT with your kids, get the whole family involved and discuss it with your neighbours.  The last time I tested my family’s reaction to hearing a smoke alarm go off unexpectedly during the day; while my husband and our 10 year old son reacted appropriately, my teenage boy couldn’t be bothered stopping what he was doing and stayed in his room until the three of us came to ask him if he had heard the smoke alarm.  “Yes I did, so what?  You’re around and there was no smoke”.  Interesting to see how such a sense of safety lead him to believe nothing was wrong and to react inappropriately.  This was a great learning experience that prompted me to ensure we practice our escape plan regularly.  I’ll let you know how next time goes!

In brigade news this month, the West Harbour Rotary Book Fair recently held in the Greenhithe Hall was a success and it was pleasing to see the interest people showed in our Wendy House and Kitchen Fire demonstrations.  Many fire education leaflets were distributed to adults and kids alike.

We are starting our firewood activity for the summer.  The funds raised will go towards honouring one of our member’s Gold Star – twenty-five years working with communities to protect what they value, enacting comradeship, integrity and loyalty are values worth celebrating.  If you want firewood delivered this summer, please leave a message for Scott on the station phone (413 9847).

Keep an eye on our next newsletter as we are planning to do something special for Halloween.  I will give you some safety tips on how to be preparing for Halloween and Guy Fawkes as well.

Concluding word…when checking your smoke alarms act safely – choose a stable ladder – avoid wheelie chairs or a stool stacked atop a chair/table – human creativeness has no limits.

Firefighter Isabelle LARDEUX-GILLOUX