Fireys send cold-snap warning

Cold weather is expected to continue over the next few days.

Hand Opening Smoke Detector for Maintenance. Picture: Christine Kublanski

WITH a cold snap over the next few days, Fire and Rescue NSW is urging residents to take every precaution to avoid a fire in the home.

FRNSW Community Safety and Research Chief Superintendent Mick Morris said the cooler months see a 10percent increase in the number of home fires, with more fires in bedrooms and lounge rooms due to heaters, electric blankets and the like.

"Don't put yourself or your family at risk,” he said.

"We want to remind people to be careful when using heaters and to keep everything in the house 'a metre from the heater'.”

He said there were a number of other simple steps you can take to prepare your home against the risk of fire this winter, including:

Turn off heaters and electric blankets before leaving home or getting into bed.

Clean lint filters in the clothes dryer before or after each use.

Don't overload powerboards.

Keep candles away from curtains and put them out before leaving the room.

Don't use LPG cylinders for cooking or heating indoors as they can leak and the gas is both toxic and highly explosive.

Ensure you have a working smoke alarm.

Mr Morris said residents should also 'keep looking when cooking' to avoid kitchen fire catastrophes.

"Kitchen fires account for 45percent of all residential fires and 34 per cent of injuries in NSW. Flames or heat sources being left unattended are the most common cause contributing to kitchen fires,” he said.

"It can take just three minutes for a fire to take hold, but only seconds to prevent one.”