Safety drive aims to cut house fires

– Angela Ivey
OLINDA Fire Brigade Captain Peter Robinson has issued an alert highlighting the dangers of house fires in colder months as part of a winter safety campaign.
The campaign promotes a fire safety check list which urges all Victorian households to follow practical advice to reduce the risk of fire in their homes.
Capt Robinson said householders should ensure clothes, linen and other combustibles are at least one metre from all heaters as these account for three per cent of winter-related fires.
He said heaters should never be left unattended and householders should always turn off their heaters before going to bed.
Capt Robinson strongly advises that old heaters should be serviced before winter begins as people often use heaters that haven’t been checked in many years.
Victorians are urged to check that their smoke alarms are working in preparation to keep safe this winter.
To get more information on winter fire safety, log in at www.cfa.vic.gov.au.