Cladding fire safety

High-rise fire safety tips

  • Make sure BBQs and heaters on balconies are at least a metre away from all objects. Turn off when not in use.
  • Make and practice an escape plan with your family. Decide on a safe meeting place outside and away from the building.
  • Do not overcrowd. Too many people living in one room increases the risk of fire.
  • Know where the fire exits, fire stairs and firefighting equipment are located.
  • NEVER prop open fire doors or leave anything in fire stairs.
  • Extinguish cigarettes properly in a deep ashtray.

What to do in case of a fire

  • Respond immediately when alerted to a fire in your building. Evacuate to your pre-planned safe meeting place.
  • Stay calm and get everyone out as quickly as possible.
  • Get out, stay out and call Triple Zero (000). Never go back inside a burning building.
  • Don’t waste time investigating what’s happened or trying to save valuables.
  • Don’t use lifts in a fire. Use emergency exits or fire stairs. Fire stairs provide a path leading you to a safe place away from the building. Lifts are not smoke or fire resistant.

If you cannot escape by the fire stairs, do the following:

  • Close all windows and doors to stop the smoke entering your apartment.
  • Call Triple Zero 000 and tell them there is a fire in your apartment block. Tell them your apartment number and that you are unable to get out of your apartment safely, and then follow any advice given to you by the fire service.

More high-rise fire safety tips

  • On every level of the building there is firefighting equipment such as fire hose reels and portable fire extinguishers for residents to use in the case of fire. Know where these fire hose reels and portable fire extinguishers are and know how to use them.
  • The front door of your apartment should be a certified fire resistant door. Making alterations to the front door can make it unsafe in the event of fire. Check with your building management before making alterations.
  • Exit points should be clearly identifiable by an illuminated green and white exit sign. Familiarise yourself with the exit points that are in your building and where they lead to.
  • Ensure your apartment has a suitable number of working smoke alarms installed.
  • Develop a home escape plan from your apartment, and practise it regularly.
  • Never chock open any fire stair doors as this will cause smoke and heat to enter the fire stairs.
  • Fire stair doors and external apartment doors are designed to self close every time. Report any problems with these doors to your building management immediately.
  • Never leave anything in a fire stair well at anytime!
  • Never place burning or hot materials, flammable liquids or oily rags into garbage chutes.
  • Sprinkler heads should not be interfered with. Never hang anything (coat hangers included) off sprinkler heads. You and your furniture will get very wet!
  • Damage to sprinkler heads, excessive smoke from the kitchen or steam from the bathroom are major causes of false alarms in residential high rise buildings. Charges may apply for unwanted false alarms.

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