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Households encouraged to check smoke alarms this Easter

Announcement posted by Wormald 18 Apr 2011

Exelgard, a leading distributor of fire protection products for the home, is recommending that householders check their smoke alarms are in working order during the long Easter break.

“Many of us will embrace the extra-long Easter holidays this year by diving into some DIY and doing some odd jobs around the house. This is an ideal time for householders to replace their smoke alarm battery and check that they’re working correctly by pushing the test button,” said Mathew Pearson, Key Account Manager, Exelgard. “Taking just two minutes to check the battery could save lives.”

“One in five Australians (22%) has experienced a home fire in their lifetime ,” Pearson said. “If a fire occurs, smoke alarms can assist in providing the precious time needed to act or escape – but to be effective they need to be in proper working order.”

Legislation across most of the country stipulates that homes must have at least one smoke alarm, ideally located where people sleep. If a home has more than one storey, there should be a smoke alarm on each level.

According to AAMI’s 2008 Firescreen Index, two of the most common causes of fires in the home are cooking and faulty electrical appliances. Householders should consider their options when choosing a smoke alarm and decide whether a photoelectric smoke alarm, best at detecting smoke from slow smouldering fires, might be more suitable than an ionisation alarm, which is better suited to fast flaming fires.

“Make sure you understand the difference between photoelectric and ionisation smoke alarms and weigh up which will best address the likely causes of fire in your home,” said Pearson. “Also think carefully about the positioning of smoke alarms so that they will have maximum impact if set off by a fire.”

Exelgard is the sole distributor of Exelgard and Wormald smoke alarms, which are available from Woolworths, Big W, RSEA and Australia Post outlets.