Fire safety in the home
Smoke alarm safety As the weather heats up, it is important to think about safety in the home. Smoke alarms need regular testing to make sure they provide effective protection. Housing Choices WA has at least one smoke alarm in each of our properties and we test them every time we do a property inspection at your home. In addition to the testing we do, we recommend tenants test their smoke alarms occasionally. Testing your smoke alarms is a quick and easy job that could make a big difference to your safety. How to test your smoke alarms All smoke alarms have a test button. Press the test button until you hear a loud alert tone, then release. 1. Use a broom handle if you cannot reach but be careful you do not damage the smoke alarm. 2. The alert beeping tone should stop after a few seconds. If it doesn’t, press the test button again. 3. If your smoke alarm doesn’t beep at all, please ring the Housing Choices WA maintenance hotline immediately on 1800 203 383 so we can investigate the issue. We also wanted to remind tenants to never modify, cover or paint over smoke alarms as this stops them working properly, compromises your safety and you could be charged for the cost of their repair.
Keep Christmas decorations away from lights and candles and make sure to switch Christmas lights off when you leave the house or go to bed. Ensure cigarette butts are extinguished before putting them in a bin and avoid smoking in bed. If using a barbeque this summer, make sure it is kept away from flammable materials, is not left unattended and turned off after use. Most household fires start accidentally and can be prevented by taking additional safety measures in the home. Here are some fire safety tips to help keep you and your belongings safe.
Be mindful not to overload power points or power boards.
Mow lawns regularly, rake up leaf matter and remove shrubs under trees to reduce risk of bushfire. Check your gutters for leaf matter or overhanging branches and call our maintenance hotline on 1800 203 383 if you are concerned about fire risk.
Never light a fire on days where a total fire ban is declared.
If a fire starts in your home, do not try to put it out. Get everyone safely out of the house and call 000 . If a fire starts outside your unit and it is not safe to leave, close all the doors and all the windows and call 000 . For more information on fire safety please visit the Department of Fire and Emergency Services website dfes.wa.gov.au or call their general emergency information line on 13 3337 .
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