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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-05-31 Daily Xml
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House Fires

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister inform the council about precautions South Australians can take to keep themselves safe from house fires this winter?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for his important question. I am sure that all members would be aware that tomorrow is actually the beginning of winter, and that covers—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Now that we've got that cleared up—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Tragically, each year an average of one person dies unnecessarily due to a home heater fire. The Metropolitan Fire Service and the Country Fire Service respond to approximately 60 fires each year caused by poorly maintained or incorrectly used heating equipment. Since July 2014, the Metropolitan Fire Service cause investigators have attended three fatal house fires that were started by either combustion heaters or bar radiator heaters located too close to combustible materials.

These fires cause immeasurable physical and emotional injury, not to mention structural damage and also economic loss. As the chilly winter sets in, the government and our fire services are urging all South Australians to play their part in preventing avoidable house fires this winter. The most common causes of heating related house fires include heaters or fires located too close to items such as furniture, bedding or clothes, and heaters or fires left on in bedrooms overnight. These fires are avoidable yet, tragically, each year we will lose an average of one life and see immense levels of injury and loss.

The fire services promote quick tips for reducing winter fire risk, which include checking that heating equipment is in good working order. Do not just take appliances out of storage and expect that they will work as they did last season. Manufacturers recommend that gas and solid fuel heaters be serviced regularly. One should clean air filters or ducted or reverse cycle units as per manufacturer's instructions. At any sign that a heater is not working properly, turn the heater off immediately. Suspect or faulty heating equipment should be checked and repaired by qualified tradespersons or, alternatively, discarded altogether.

Remember to supervise children and animals when heaters are in use to ensure that they remain a safe distance away and keep fire lighting tools such as matches and lighters well out of reach and out of sight of children. If your house has an open fire, make sure that chimneys and flues are cleaned every year before winter. You should also place a full-size fire screen in front of open fires or combustion heaters to prevent sparks or embers coming into contact with furniture, carpet or other flammable items. You can also make safe choices in the products that you buy. Choose portable heating equipment with an automatic safety switch so that, if the heater is accidentally tipped over, it turns off immediately. These are just some tips to keep in mind while heating your home this winter.

It is up to all of us to remain vigilant and ensure we do what we can to protect ourselves, our families and our homes from avoidable fire. While our emergency services are always at the ready to protect our community in times of need, let's do what we can to avoid putting these brave men and women in harm's way.

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