Download - New Zealand Fire Service

Fire Safety
re-packaging
home fire safety
The Fire Service is introducing a national approach to the provision
of home fire safety information and resources.
Fire Service Director Strategic
Development, Bill Butzbach, says one
of the organisation’s key priorities
is to reduce the incidence and
consequences of fire. “We have got to
the point where we need to be more
strategic about reaching those who
are most at risk and influencing their
fire-safety behaviours. Firefighters
have a vital role to play in this.”
He said overseas experience, and our
own, shows that getting firefighters
into the homes of families, talking to
them about escape plans and other
fire safety measures, and installing
smoke alarms, is the most effective
way of influencing people and
reducing preventable fires.
“We have been installing smoke
alarms and providing fire safety
advice in people’s homes in various
ways and using a variety of administrative
support tools for many
years. Last year we carried out more
than 11,000 visits. This public
education work will now be delivered
under the new Home Fire Safety
Checks brand and it will be done in
a much more focused, supported,
and coordinated manner.”
Home Fire Safety Checks targets
only the at-risk groups – particularly
Ma - ori and Pacific people, the elderly,
young children, and others living in
deprived areas. “We have halved the
number of people dying in house
fires over the past decade. However,
people from these at-risk groups are
still those most likely to die or be
injured in a fire.”
The refocused visits will target
deprived neighbourhoods. People will
6 Issue No. 60
Image of the new postcard invitation offering a free home fire safety check.
be offered free home fire safety
checks via a postcard that crews will
drop in their letterboxes. Families
call an 0800 number answered by
Southern Communications Centre to
arrange for a firefighter from their
local fire station to phone and make a
time to visit. The Comcen staff then
enter the task into SMS for that
station. Crews will carry out the fire
safety check, which includes installing
one of the new long-life smoke
alarms, and provide fire safety advice.
A DVD showing firefighters how it
all works has been sent to stations
along with explanatory information.
All resources are ordered online.
See the National Notice for a full list
of resources available.
“The checks are only available to
those who have been specifically
targeted. Members of the general
public who ring the 0800 number
will be sent a fire safety leaflet,
or directed to our website, to help
them set up their own escape plans,
position smoke alarms, and improve
their home fire safety.
Bill believes the improved focus of
our home fire safety work will further
build on the strong bonds of trust the
Fire Service has with New Zealanders.