Fire Safety
Ensuring your home is fire safe is a big priority for us.
Smoke alarms are put in all of our properties for your safety - one in each bedroom, the living areas, hallway and attached garages. They are reliable so long as you look after them. If you do not have a smoke alarm in these rooms, or if you think your smoke alarm is faulty or broken, call us immediately on 0508 832 487.
Our office is open Monday - Friday from 9am to 4.30pm. All calls outside these hours, are directed to an after-hours service who will manage the issue as required.
Test them once a month and when you get home after being away. To test, press the test/reset button for about two seconds. The alarm will sound. When you take your finger off the button it will have reset and the light will blink continuously.
Keep your home fire safe.
Smoke alarms
Clean smoke alarms every 6 months by gently dusting with a vacuum cleaner brush. The best reminder for this is when daylight savings ends and starts.
Call us immediately on 0508 832 487 if:
the red light stops blinking
there is no alarm when you press the test/reset button
the smoke alarm continuously makes an unusual noise or chirps.
If you set off the smoke alarm by accident - say with burnt toast - open the windows to air out your home and press the hush button if it has one.
Keep furniture, clothes and curtains at least 1 metre from heaters and the fireplace. Ashes can take up to 5 days to cool so put them in a metal container well away from the house. Always turn off your electric blanket at the wall before getting into bed.
Cooking sparks many fires. Here are a few ways to avoid them:
don't leave anything cooking on the stove unattended
turn off the heat if the oil or fat is smoking
keep curtains, plastic electric jugs and tea towels away from the stove
regularly empty crumbs from the toaster and clean the oven
Other tips
Fire and Emergency New Zealand website
The Fire and Emergency New Zealand website provides tips and ideas on keeping you, your family and your home safe. Check out the fire safety checklists and fast fire fact videos which cover a range of different situations so you can stay fire-safe.