Queanbeyan Fire Station is opening its doors to the public this Saturday, May 30, for the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) annual Open Day.
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The Open Day will feature firefighting demonstrations, station tours and fire safety presentations, as well as advice on changing smoke alarm batteries and preparing home fire escape plans.
Fire engines and firefighting equipment will be on display for the children to see and enjoy and a sausage sizzle will also be provided, but Station Commander Gavin Bell said the day also provides a great chance to talk about fires during winter.
"Head over to the Queanbeyan Fire Station on Open Day and talk to firefighters face-to-face about simple safety tips you can use to ensure you and your family escape a fire quickly and safely," he said.
"With winter approaching, Open Day is a timely opportunity to talk to the experts about home fire safety.
"Winter is the worst time of the year for home fires, with 60 per cent of all house fires occuring in the cooler months of May to September."
FRNSW yearly statistics, launched at the start of the Winter Fire Safety Campaign, show firefighters respond to an average of 1230 house fires over winter, around half of them starting in the kitchen.
"As we know firefighters dread winter because there is always a spike in the number of home fires," Station Commander Bell said.
"Tragically, these fires are also far more serious and are more likely to result in injuries and deaths."
Station Commander Bell said people needed to "keep looking when cooking", turn off electric heaters and blankets before leaving the house or getting into bed, keep everything a metre away from the heater, clean clothes dryer lint filters out, do not overload power points or power boards, put candles out before leaving the room and keep them away from curtains, and never smoke in bed.
"Already this year, nine people have died because of a fire in their home in New South Wales and we don't want to see that number increase," he said.
"People need to be vigilant in the kitchen and throughout their entire home this winter.
"A lot of people seem to adopt the 'it won't happen to me' attitude. The fact is it can.
"We urge you not to be complacent this winter- assess the risks and take the precautions needed to prevent a fire."
Joint FRNSW/GIO initiative, the online home fire safety audit is one of the best ways to assess home fire awareness and identify the risks throughout the home- go to www.homefiresafetyaudit.com.au for more details.