Home Fire Safety and Risk Reduction Manual
In Victoria, common causes of house fires include unattended cooking, electrical faults, flammable items placed near heat sources, smoking indoors, and improper use of heating appliances. To prevent these fires, it's crucial to follow some key safety measures.
Firstly, never leave cooking unattended, and keep cooking areas clean to avoid grease buildup that can spread fire. Keep flammable materials such as paper towels and curtains away from stoves, toasters, and heaters.
When using portable heaters, keep them at least one meter from combustible materials, never dry clothes in front of them, and always turn them off when leaving the room or going to bed. Avoid smoking indoors, especially in bed, and properly extinguish cigarettes and discard smoking materials safely.
Use power boards only temporarily and avoid overloading electrical circuits to prevent electrical fires. Install and maintain working smoke alarms, which are critical for early detection and saving lives. When using outdoor fire pits, never leave them unattended and extinguish fires fully with water.
If you're living in an apartment, familiarise yourself with the fire escape plan for your building, as well as the location of the fire exits, fire stairs, and fire fighting equipment. In case of fire, evacuate immediately and use emergency exits or fire stairs to evacuate.
For outdoor fire safety, adhering to the manufacturer's instructions when igniting your barbecue is important. Making sure the barbecue is placed on level ground is also crucial. Barbecues that use solid fuel such as wood and heat beads are banned on total fire ban days. Firepits and outdoor fireplaces should be placed at least 3m away from large structures such as your house, shed, or fence.
In bushfire-prone areas, maintaining vegetation on your property is essential for bushfire prevention. Cleaning gutters is crucial, and sealing gaps in windows and doors is necessary. Removing and storing flammable items well away from your home is also important.
If a fire starts at home, the safest option is to get out, stay out, and call 000. If you can't escape, closing the door to the room where there's fire if safe to do so is important. Staying low and keeping the key in any deadlocks to allow a quick exit is also recommended.
In case of a bushfire, it's vital to have a bushfire plan in place. If you're planning to travel during fire season, understanding the current bushfire danger ratings is crucial. Maintaining a fire blanket and extinguisher in every kitchen, particularly in the kitchen where the most likely location for a fire to start, is also advised by the CFA.
Lastly, rental providers in Victoria are responsible for the installation of smoke alarms, their testing every 12 months, and supplying replacement batteries. A non-working fire alarm is classed as an urgent repair per the Victorian Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021. Rental providers must also supply renters with written information on how the alarms work, how to test the alarms, the renters' obligation not to tamper with the alarms, and the renters' obligation to immediately notify the rental provider if an alarm is not working.
Swapping to an induction cooktop can help minimize the risk of fires because they do not produce flames or radiant heat. Creating an escape plan for your household with at least two routes of escape is important for apartment fire safety.
Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]
[1] CFA. (n.d.). Home Fire Safety. Retrieved from https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/home-fire-safety/
[2] Fire Safety Council. (n.d.). Kitchen Fires. Retrieved from https://www.firesafetycouncil.com.au/stay-safe/home-safety/kitchen-fires/
[3] Energy Safe Victoria. (n.d.). Electrical Safety. Retrieved from https://www.energysafe.vic.gov.au/your-home/electrical-safety/
[4] Better Health Channel. (n.d.). Smoking and Fire Safety. Retrieved from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/smoking-and-fire-safety
[5] Victorian Building Authority. (n.d.). Bushfire Safety. Retrieved from https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/building-and-construction/bushfire-safety/
To enhance a safe home-and-garden lifestyle in Victoria, consider adhering to fire safety guidelines such as keeping flammable materials away from heat sources and never leaving cooking unattended. By maintaining a well-maintained home with fire safety measures in place, you can ultimately improve your home-and-garden living environment while reducing the risk of house fires. Additionally, ensuring smoke alarms are properly installed, tested, and maintained contributes significantly to home and garden safety, as required by the Victorian Residential Tenancies Regulations 2021.
