Entire upper Hunter town doorknocked by firefighters offering winter fire safety advice - Merriwa
Published: 20 Jul 2023 01:06pm
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have converged on Merriwa, in the upper Hunter, this week to doorknock the entire town with winter fire safety advice.
It is the first pro-active blitz of its kind in the Hunter Valley, with firefighters offering to inspect homes for fire risks and check smoke alarms are in working condition.
There have been at least 337 residential fires in NSW homes so far this winter (an 8% rise) with 44% of properties not featuring a working smoke alarm.
Last year, a record 16 people died in NSW house fires. Already, since June, another six people have been killed.
FRNSW Western Region Commander, Gary Barber, said the blitz of every home in Merriwa is designed to prevent fires and save lives.
“We’ve seen a lot of complacency across communities throughout the state and as professional firefighters, we know the benefits of having a working smoke alarm,” Chief Supt Barber said.
“This year we’ve included Merriwa in a new Safety Visit Program…we’ll proactively visit houses and we’ll check smoke alarms, install new ones if needed, we’ll change out any batteries and provide residents with fire safety advice.
“In Merriwa, we have identified the opportunity to protect the community by going door to door and providing that expert assessment.”
The Merriwa experience will be used as a template to possibly roll out across the state in the future.
The public can book a home safety visit through the FRNSW website: https://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/page.php?id=9316 [external link]
Firefighters will visit your home and install a new smoke alarm if necessary, free of charge.
Media note: video and grabs of the operation are available at: https://vimeo.com/846813319/7e1f476f8b?share=copy [external link]
Updated: 20 Jul 2023 01:10pm
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It“s the law to have at least one working smoke alarm installed on every level of your home.
Having a home escape plan and a working smoke alarm increases your chances of getting out safely.
Details about this incident may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice.
For all life threatening emergencies, call Triple Zero (000)
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Stations nearby
109 Bettington Street, Merriwa NSW 2329
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