BY BEN CLIFFORD
After a devastating start to the winter fire season, Fire and Rescue NSW are ramping up their ongoing efforts to educate regional communities about home fire safety.
Firefighters across the Hunter region have been hitting the streets, conducting over 1200 home safety visits which provide households with vital home fire safety advice and working smoke alarms.
The organisation's already responded to 13 deadly fires and over 680 residential fires in New South Wales since the start of the season, including a large fire which destroyed a home in Merewether last Sunday.
The blaze, which was caused by an unattended burning candle, is serving as a reminder of the importance of home fire safety.
We're being urged to follow a few simple steps:
- Never ever leave cooking unattended and always keep looking when cooking.
- Keep everything – furnishing, curtains, clothing – one metre away from the heater.
- Do not overload power boards with these extra winter appliances – such as heaters, electric blankets and dryers.
- Ensure flues and chimneys are regularly cleaned.
- Turn off electric blankets at night.
- Do not use outdoor heating and cooking equipment inside the home.
