Smoke alarms

The risk of a fatality in a home fire is halved if there is a working smoke alarm in a residential dwelling.

Did you know its been over 10 years since smoke alarms became law across NSW... and... most smoke alarms don’t last 10 years. What is the law?

Buying a smoke alarm

It's the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.

Installing your smoke alarm

Learn about the ideal positions and minimum requirements for smoke alarms in your home.

Maintaining smoke alarms

Maintaining your smoke alarm ensures it's in working order for when you need it the most.

What is the law?

Learn about your responsibilities and how to comply with the law.

Smoke alarm questions & answers

Maintaining your smoke alarm ensures it's in working order for when you need it the most.

Fire research report

The location and interconnection of smoke alarms play a critical role in achieving positive outcomes.

Did you know?


The use of heaters, cigarettes and candles are common causes of fires.


When you're asleep, you won't smell the smoke from a fire.


You're twice as likely to die in a home fire if you don't have a working smoke alarm.

Fire and Rescue NSW responds to approximately
4500
residential fires each year.
Half of these fires start in the kitchen, mostly due to unattended cooking.


Electrical appliances and faults cause almost 40% of home fires.