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All Current and Past Media Releases
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Media Release - Minister's Office Sydney: 14 March 2006 GOVERNMENT'S SMOKE ALARM REFORM TO SAVE LIVES The NSW Government has announced it will set up a helpline to provide information for homeowners on new measures to make smoke alarms compulsory in all dwellings.
From May 1, the life-saving devices will become mandatory in all existing buildings where people sleep.
Planning Minister Frank Sartor said the call centre and new guidelines gazetted this week will provide important information on how the rules will apply.
“This regulation outlines where alarms should be located and which models should be used,” Mr Sartor said.
“It is estimated that up to 670,000 homes across NSW are still not fitted with smoke alarms, putting residents at considerable risk.
“Smoke alarms compliant with Australian Standard 3786 must be installed in all these homes along with boarding houses, motels and hotels, hostels, hospitals and nursing homes, and manufactured and relocatable homes.
“In homes without existing smoke alarms, owners will be required to install battery-powered smoke alarms or hard-wired alarms.
“The regulation clarifies that homes already fitted with functional and appropriately-located smoke alarms will not need to replace the devices.
“Property owners will be given six months to adjust to the alarm installation requirements before becoming liable to pay fines for non-compliance.
“However, it will be an offence immediately after May 1 to interfere with or remove a smoke alarm, unless it is to repair, maintain or replace the alarm.”
Emergency Services Minister Tony Kelly urged home owners to fit smoke alarms without delay.
“Research by the NSW Fire Brigades shows almost 60 per cent of house fire deaths occur while people are asleep, from 9pm to 6am,” Mr Kelly said.
“Fitting smoke alarms in the right locations could save your family’s life. “The risk of fire is also greater during winter months when people use more heating appliances or light open fires.
“It’s estimated that about 70 per cent of homes have smoke alarms but we are keen for 100 per cent of homes in NSW to be fire safe.
“It shouldn’t take a tragedy or a fine to prompt homeowners to comply with these new rules. We are relying on community support to make NSW homes safer.”
Last year’s law change was prompted after 13 people, including seven children, died in house fires over two weeks during late May and early June 2005.
Mr Kelly said figures showed 37 people were killed in 31 residential fires attended by the NSW Fire Brigades during 2005.
There was no smoke alarm in 71 per cent of the homes where the fatal fires occurred.
“These figures should be disturbing for any of the residents in the estimated 670,000 homes that don’t have smoke alarms,” Mr Kelly said.
“Your chances of dying in a home fire are substantially higher if you don’t have the alarm to alert you in the first place,” he said.
Mr Sartor said battery-powered smoke alarms – to be used in family homes – are available from hardware stores and cost as little as $10 each.
“It isn’t much to pay to help save your life, and the lives of your loved ones,” he said.
Further information can be found at the Department of Planning website at www.planning.nsw.gov.au
The helpline can be contacted on 1300 858 812.
FACT SHEET
The number of smoke alarms required will depend on the size of the building and its configuration.
In homes, the regulation stipulates that in storeys containing bedrooms, the alarms must be installed on or near the ceiling in every corridor or hallway associated with a bedroom.
If there is no corridor or hallway, the alarm needs to be placed between the part of the home containing the bedroom and the rest of the dwelling.
A smoke alarm is also required in any other storey of the same building, even if it does not contain bedrooms. Property owners are advised to place this alarm in the path of travel most likely to be used by those evacuating the home.
The rules are more stringent for other buildings covered by the regulation, such as shared accommodation premises.
Heat alarms may be used instead of smoke alarms, if the use of an area (eg. in a kitchen) is likely to result in a smoke alarm being inappropriately activated.
Smoke alarms are tax deductible for investment property owners.
Elderly occupants can obtain assistance from the Smoke Alarm Battery Replacement for the Elderly (SABRE) program run by NSW Fire Brigades.
Under SABRE, elderly people can have their smoke alarm batteries regularly checked and the batteries replaced.
From May 1, a person can be given a $200 infringement notice for, without reasonable excuse, removing or interfering with the operation of a smoke alarm in a building in which people sleep. This does not apply if the person is repairing, maintaining or replacing the alarm.
From November 1, owners of private home can be given a $200 infringement notice for not complying with the regulation's requirements regarding installation of smoke alarms.
A $300 fine will apply for failing to properly install an alarm in shared accommodation such as hotels and hostels.
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