Are NSW smoke alarm laws working? You won’t believe this shocking statistic about smoke alarms in New South Wales!
A surge in residential fires during the most recent 2023 winter season has prompted a renewed call for New South Wales (NSW) residents to ensure their smoke alarms are in working order. According to data from Fire and Rescue NSW, there were 1,063 fires in NSW homes this winter, marking a 12% increase compared to the previous year. Alarmingly, when NSW firefighters responded to these incidents, they discovered that nearly half of the affected homes lacked a functional smoke alarm! Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Assistant Commissioner David Felton posed a crucial question to residents: "When was the last time you checked your home's smoke alarm was working?" He emphasized the alarming fact that in almost half of the winter fires they responded to, there was no operational smoke detector. There were 115 reported injuries resulting from NSW house fires this winter, with eight deaths reported in 2023. In light of these concerning statistics, firefighters are urging households to f