With an alarming 3000 house fires occurring in Victoria annually – that’s almost ten house fires every single day – RACV is encouraging Victorians to check their smoke alarms as you change your clocks this weekend.
The reminder comes as fire authorities report that 60 per cent of house fire fatalities occur in homes without working smoke alarms, with victims often succumbing to smoke inhalation while sleeping, never getting the chance to escape.
“We’re not just talking about property damage – we’re talking about preventable deaths,” said RACV general manager insurance and roadside Bill Bloodworth.
“Many Victorian families are going to sleep every night without properly functioning smoke alarms.”
Fire safety experts reveal that house fires can become lethal within just three minutes, leaving families with a window of mere seconds to evacuate safely.
“Without a working smoke alarm, you may not wake up in time to escape safely. We’re seeing too many preventable tragedies where families had no early warning system,” said Mr Bloodworth.
“The difference between life and death often comes down to those crucial first 30 seconds when a smoke alarm activates. That’s all the time you may have to get your family out alive.”
As clocks spring forward this Sunday, RACV is urging all Victorians to use the time change as their annual reminder to conduct a comprehensive smoke alarm safety check.
“This weekend, give your family the gift of protection. Test every alarm, replace old batteries, and don’t gamble with your family’s safety,” Mr Bloodworth said.
