Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters at Narromine Fire Station are warning local residents they could be faced with a hefty repair bill if they are complacent about home fire safety this winter.
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"Winter is the worst time of the year for home fires with more than 60 per cent occurring between the cooler months of May and September," station commander Captain Ewen Jones said.
"Firefighters see the devastating personal cost these fires can have on residents and the community, not only physically and emotionally, but there are also considerable financial costs if you have to make repairs to your home as a result of the fire."
FRNSW principal partner, GIO, has revealed the average insurance claim for a fire in the home in NSW is nearly $46,000. This equates to more than $4.6 million a month during winter - a massive cost to the NSW community.
"A lot of people seem to adopt the 'it won't happen to me' attitude. The fact is it can," Captain Jones said.
FRNSW responded to more than 1910 home fires in NSW between May and September last year. Nearly half, 47 per cent, of those fires started in the kitchen.
"Tragically, home fires in the cooler months are also far more serious and are more likely to result in injuries and deaths. During this period last year, home fires resulted in 11 deaths and 230 injuries,'' Capt Jones said.
"Don't leave your fire safety to chance this winter - assess the risks and take the precautions needed to prevent a fire in your home.
"The best way to keep your family out of harm's way and identify potential risks is by doing a FRNSW/GIO online home fire safety checklist and making sure you have working smoke alarms and a practised home escape plan."
Other winter fire safety tips include:
o Turning off heaters before going to sleep
o Keeping clothing and other flammable materials at least 1m from heaters and open fires
o Turning off electric blankets before going to sleep
o Not overloading power points
