House fires - How to prepare for a house fire and what you can do to prevent it
- hello80430
- May 21
- 3 min read
To prepare for a fire, install working smoke alarms on every level and review escape plans with family, including a designated meeting spot outside. Ensure you have readily accessible fire extinguishers and understand how to use them. Regularly maintain your home, including clearing gutters and addressing fire-related vulnerabilities, and consider strengthening your home with fire-resistant materials.
Detailed Steps for Fire Preparedness
1. Install and Maintain Smoke Alarms:
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in bedrooms, regularly test and maintain smoke alarms, ensuring they are functioning correctly.
Consider installing ionization or photoelectric smoke alarms, depending on the location and type of fire.
2. Develop and Practice Fire Escape Plans:
Create a fire escape plan with at least two escape routes from each room and a designated meeting spot outside your home.
Practice your fire escape plan with your family several times a year to ensure everyone knows what to do in an emergency. If you live in a multi-story building, be familiar with stairwells and emergency exit routes.
3. Secure Your Home Against Fire:
Clean your gutters regularly to remove leaves, twigs, and other debris that could ignite.
Install metal gutter guards to prevent debris from entering the gutters.
Repair or replace damaged or missing roof tiles.
Install CSIRO approved Stainless Steel window fire shutters
Install fine metal mesh screens on windows and doors to prevent embers from entering.
Seal gaps around doors and windows to prevent smoke and heat from entering.
Enclose areas under your home to reduce fire fuel and improve ventilation.
Repair or cover any gaps in external walls.
Consider using fire-resistant materials when building, renovating, or making repairs.
4. Have Fire Extinguishers and Emergency Supplies:
Keep readily accessible fire extinguishers in your home and know how to use them.
Create an emergency fire kit with essential items like water, food, first aid supplies, a flashlight, and a portable radio.
Store your emergency kit in a readily accessible location.
5. Be Fire-Aware:
Be aware of your surroundings and the potential for fire hazards, says the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Check local fire danger alerts and weather forecasts.
Be prepared to evacuate early if necessary, and have a plan in place for where you will go.
6. Practice Safe Habits:
Never leave cooking unattended and ensure all appliances are turned off when not in use.
Store flammable liquids safely and keep them away from heat sources.
Use space heaters properly and ensure they are placed at a safe distance from flammable materials.
Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children and store them securely.
Never smoke in bed or when drowsy or under the influence of medication.
Keep a fire extinguisher readily available when cooking or using heating appliances.
NSW Rural Fire Service offers the below additional information
Visit the NSW Rural Fire Service website for the latest and locally specific info
How to prepare your home
A well prepared home is more likely to survive a bush fire.
Even if your plan is to leave early, the more you prepare your home, the more likely it will survive a bush fire or ember attack. A well prepared home can also be easier for you or firefighters to defend, and is less likely to put your neighbours' homes at risk. A well prepared home will also give you more protection if a fire threatens suddenly and you cannot leave.
Here are some basic maintenance tips to prepare your property:
Clean the tracks of your fireshutters to ensure smooth operation
Make sure shutters are clear of any obstacles
Clean your gutters of leaves and twigs
Install metal gutter guards
Repair damaged or missing tiles on the roof
Install fine metal mesh screens on windows and doors
Fit seals around doors and windows to eliminate gaps
Enclose the areas under the house
Repair or cover gaps in external walls
Attach a fire sprinkler system to gutters
Keep lawns short and gardens well maintained
Cut back trees and shrubs overhanging buildings
Clean up fallen leaves, twigs and debris around the property
Have hoses long enough to reach around your house
If you have a pool, tank or dam, put a Static Water Supply (SWS) sign on your property entrance, so firefighters know where they can get water
Check and maintain adequate levels of home and contents insurance. Ensure it is up to date.
These tips are also available in our Prepare Your Home fact sheet.
You can assess your risk using the bush fire household assessment tool.
Check if you live on Bush Fire Prone Land.
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