New fire alarm videos released


Fire and Emergency New Zealand has updated its video advice about which fire alarms to choose and how to install them.

"It’s impossible to over-state the importance of smoke alarms," Fire and Emergency National Fire Risk Management Advisor Peter Gallagher says.

"In the last 12 months 10 people have died in avoidable dwelling fires. In all but two of those cases there were no working smoke alarms.

"Smoke alarms save lives. They give people time to get themselves and their families to safety.

"In the past few weeks we’ve had at least two instances where we believe alarms have saved lives.

On 6 July an elderly woman who had removed her hearing aid was rescued from her burning flat in the North Shore suburb of Hillcrest after neighbours heard her smoke alarm.

"On 12 July nine members of an extended family in the Lower Hutt suburb of Taita escaped their burning home in the early hours of the morning after an alarm sounded.

"Without alarms we believe that in both cases, we would have been removing bodies from the ruins of their homes," Mr Gallagher says.

Ideally alarms should be installed in all bedrooms, living areas and hallways.

For advice on what type of smoke alarm is best go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1172mPoIRoE

For advice on how to install a smoke alarm go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALbaxkPhLo4
ENDS

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