Fire safety

Apartment Smoke Detectors

Your apartment is fitted with smoke detectors. These are internal to your apartment only, and if activated will not cause a general fire alarm. Each runs off the mains electrical supply and is also fitted with a battery backup. It is important to replace the backup battery as per the manufacturer’s instructions. The Fire Brigade’s “rule of thumb” is that when you change your clocks for daylight savings also change the backup batteries of the smoke detector.

Hose reels and Fire extinguishers

Fire hose reels and fire extinguishers are located in positions throughout the complex. These positions are clearly labelled and the occupier should become familiar with these locations.

Hose reels should therefore only be used in case of emergency and not for general use.

Fire doors

Fire escape doors are clearly marked and must not be held open or obstructed in any way. Some fire doors may have alarms that will activate if the door is held open.

General Fire Safety

The fire services recommend this simple safety checklist for safe living in apartment buildings.

• 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 is a certified fire resistant door. Making alterations to the front door can make it unsafe in the event of fire.

• Exit points are 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 use a lift in the case of a fire. Lifts are not smoke or fire resistant.

• Fire stairs provide a safe environment that will lead you to a safe place away from the building. 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.

• 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.

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

• Close all windows and doors to stop the smoke entering your apartment.

• Call the fire services on 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.