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4. Smoke alarms save lives - Change Your Clock, Change Your Smoke Alarm Battery

Smoke alarms save lives - Change Your Clock, Change Your Smoke Alarm Battery

Smoke alarms are designed to provide an early warning of fire and have contributed to saving hundreds if not thousands of lives in Australia and internationally.

Throughout April the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) is taking part in a national campaign urging people to use the end of daylight savings on Sunday 5 April, as an opportunity to turn your clock back and change your smoke alarm batteries. 

NSWFB Commissioner Greg Mullins said working smoke alarms and home escape plans are very important in giving households an early warning and can help people quickly and safely escape a fire.

"A fire can spread and engulf a home in just a few minutes," Commissioner Mullins said.

"A smoke alarm that doesn't work is as bad as not having a smoke alarm at all so don't gamble with your safety and make sure your smoke alarm has batteries.

"The smoke alarm's high-pitched sound is designed to alert occupants in the home and give them as much time as possible to escape, using their home escape plan.

"Families with children, in particular, need to ensure their smoke alarms are interconnected so if one goes off they all go off to wake everyone in the house.

"The NSWFB also recommends households install photo-electric alarms, connected to the 240V system by a licensed electrician, and interconnected, so when one smoke alarm activates they all sound."

All homes in NSW are required, by law, to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on each level of their home. Ensuring smoke alarms are in working order is just as important as having them in the first place.

The NSWFB recommends that the elderly or the hearing impaired, install special smoke alarms which have a flashing strobe light and vibrating pad that can be placed under a pillow while they sleep and activates when the smoke alarm sounds.

The Change Your Clock, Change Your Smoke Alarm Battery campaign is supported by Duracell.