Do you have working smoke detectors in your house?

[journeyman Mick]

Well I had today all planned, rearranging the shed to fit in my new edgebander. I'd just finished breakfast when the phone rang and I got a call out to a house fire. I raced across the road to our fire shed, dragging on my uniform as I went. When wwe arrived the house was well ablaze with 3m high flames billowing out of the windows. Poured water on and then ferried water to the urban trucks when they arrived (nearest hydrant a few kays away). The house was gutted (block walls still up and possibly salvageable) and I'd say all belongings lost. Fortunately though they had working smoke alarms which alerted the family and they all got out unharmed. The fire was started by kids playing with a lighter, the curtains caught fire and within minutes the house was well ablaze. With the fire spreading so quickly the occupants may have been overcome with toxic gases if the alarm hadn't alerted them.


If a fire broke out in your house would you get out in time?



So I did my bit for the community today :) but got bugger all done in the shed :(

Mick

[Jack E]

I hope you were wearing your Bellingham F.D. T-shirt.

[ryanarcher]

Yes :D

Did anyone make an interior attack when they got there, or was it all defensive? did you save the box of puppies? :D any pictures? Good work brother. the community is indebted to you for volunteering your time. :)

-Ryan

[silentC]

Yes, good on ya Mick. I've been thinking about joining either the Volunteer Fire Brigade or SES but too much going on at present. Maybe next year when the house is built.

Regarding smoke alarms, we don't have any at present but since we are renting the house now, thinking of approaching the new owners about it. By law they are required to install then in rental properties.

Naturally the new house will have hard-wired alarms throughout.

[jshaw]

Good on ya Mick, I've thought about getting involved in the SES but having grown up in urban Scotland (so few or no Aussie smarts) I have a sneaking suspicion that I'd just get myself in trouble and put others at risk :o

On the smoke detector front, one working and one disabled due to the amount of toast we burn. Previous owner fitted it in the kitchen just above the stove... When we were still renting I replaced a few myself that were not working on the grounds that the owner didn't seem too keen to fix up anything else and hey, my family is more important than a few dollars spent.

Thanks for the reminder though.

[AlexS]

A timely reminder Mick, and thanks for your community spirit.

We've had them for years, fortunately never had to use them in anger.
We had a house rented out at one stage, built of cypress, 5k from town, so had alarms in it of course. Never had any false alarms when we were there, but inevitably the tenants would disable them - don't know whether it was because they were heavy smokers or they wanted the batteries for the kids' toys. :mad:

[knucklehead]

Well done Mick. I hope you had time to stop and put your undies on the outside of your trousers as all good super heros do.http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif

Smoke detctors cost bugger all, I've got 4 in a 2 bedroom house.
Re the toast setting the off, you can get ones that are specific to kitchens.

On the list of things to do is some hardwired detectors, the ones that have a halogen light. They can be connected toghter so that when one alarms they all alarm (with a light). These are pretty dear but I can do the whole house for about the cost of my ROS.

[Chesand]

Recently saw a video which showed an average lounge room completely engulfed in flames in 3 minutes after a fire was started in the couch - pretty scary.
One of our detectors goes off sometimes when grilling meat and we treat it as a test - reminds us why it is there

[Bowdo]

In NSW where's there's been a tragic series of house fires of late, I heard the NSW Fire Commissioner recommend that there should be one (preferably hard wired) in every room as it can take precious seconds for smoke to reach and activate one several rooms away.

[HappyHammer]

Thanks for the reminder Mick, I have one upstairs but not downstairs where it's probably more important to have one, that'll be on my list for this weekend.

HH.

[bitingmidge]

Well done Mick!

Yes. Two. Hardwired with battery backup.

One is in the hall outside the bedrooms, one in the workshop at the other end of the house, both interconnected so if one goes off, so does the other, and all the lights in the house turn on as well.

Occasionally the workshop one is a pain, like when the middle connection of the DC blew off and choofed dust everywhere, or when I'm using the heat gun to melt paint, or the other night when a gecko shat in it.

A word of caution though: there is a substantial conspiracy theory thing happening about ionization type detectors, which apparently don't pick up some of the by-products of combustion.

Be aware that a slow smouldering fire, may not give off enough stuff to set off the alarm until the heat has built up to that "WOOF" stage, by which time it's easy to get badly hurt or worse.

http://www.firecrusade.com/ was one of the sites for info, but is currently being re-configured. It makes intriguing and sobering reading.

I am of the view that detectors that only work in some types of fire are better than no detectors.

Cheers,

P


:D

[kiwigeo]

Smoke dectectors installed and working in the new workshop and have just installed a couple of dry powder extinigushers by exits. Also did a review of chemical storage.....found bottle of turps on shelf right underneath the bench grinder.

[kiwigeo]

Recently saw a video which showed an average lounge room completely engulfed in flames in 3 minutes after a fire was started in the couch - pretty scary.
One of our detectors goes off sometimes when grilling meat and we treat it as a test - reminds us why it is there


Sounds like the same video I watched as part of my 3 yearly helicopter evacuation/fire fighting refresher over in Perth recently. Amazing how short a time it takes to completely incinerate the room (4 minutes I think it was).

[MICKYG]

On ya Mick, Nice to see all were out ok. We have them in our house as well and looking at upgrading. You could not light a ciggy in this house with out a warning being beeped out.

We have a plan for all members to get out if this should ever occur and access to the outside is good all around no matter where a fire should start. Nice work Mick, having been a volunteer at quite a few things over a considerable number of years(now taking it easy) I am well aware of the efforts on yours and your mates part, keep it up, for without you and lots of volunteer mates in all sorts of services we would as most would agree all be basically stuffed.

Kind regards Mike :D

[DavidG]

Yes and a DCP just outside the kitchen, near the exit and an evacuation plan which is discussed regularly. (so every one remembers)

ps If not hard wired, give each detector a Xmas present of a new alkaline battery.

[Driver]

Well done, Mick.

Yes - two detectors but this is a quite a big house and you've prompted me to go and get another three or four detectors. They're as cheap as chips and they can save my family so I'm going to buy some tomorrow morning.

Col

[journeyman Mick]

Ryan,
no interior attack, it was a relatively small house and open plan all the doors and windows were open and the main fire was readily accessed through the openings. Everything was well alight when we got there so there was little to be gained by a direct attack. No puppies to be saved and no time for happy snaps-except for the media and all the QFRS bigwigs who turned up for their few minutes of glory on the news. The local community is collecting household goods etc for the occupants, I'll have a rummage around in the wardrobe, not much fun being without warm clothes in winter :(

It's amazing how fast fire spreads once it catches hold, I think most people would race out and buy detectors if they knew how quickly a little fire can get big and out of control. For those renting, you can get detectors for less than $10 each, you could fit one every week if you smoked a few less ciggies or had a few less beers. (And if you smoke, you most definitely should have detectors!)

Mick

[ozwinner]

Slept right through a false alarm last year.
The alarm is only mm from our bedroom doors.
Only the angy prodding of SWMBO got me awake.

Al :D

[journeyman Mick]

Note to Al:
don't turn hearing aid off when you go to bed. :p

Mick

[Gingermick]

Only the angy prodding of SWMBO
Maybe you need to turn a u'd-be for her.

[ozwinner]

Note to Al:
don't turn hearing aid off when you go to bed. :p

Mick
http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/sarge/Drooling_anim.gif

[journeyman Mick]

Al
what's the emoticon doing/represent? :confused: Is he drooling? I even put my glasses on (hate the bloody things) and still can't work it out. :confused:

Myopic Mick

[ozwinner]

Al
what's the emoticon doing/represent? :confused: Is he drooling? I even put my glasses on (hate the bloody things) and still can't work it out. :confused:

Myopic Mick
Roll up, roll up, get your $2.50 glasses here.......
Thats all I paid for mine, and they work fine.

The emoticon is of a fine lady doing the stip of 1 thousand veils, gees Mick, get some new glasses!!

Al http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/fk/geekgirl.gif

[journeyman Mick]

Actually Al, they're my proper prescription glasses, not the $2.00 jobbies. Doesn't look like a dancing lady to me though.

Mick

[ozwinner]

$2.00!! theyre the cheap ones.

Go for the $ 2.50 ones.
He was supposed to be asleep and drooling BTW.

Al :D

[journeyman Mick]

Ok,
but is his hearing aid on ;) and is there a working smoke alarm in his room. :p

Mick

[Iain]

My alarm started chirping at 3.00am, get up, find battery, change, back to bed.
Need to get hard wired so I don't get woken up next year.
Never had anything to do with CFA but spent three years firefighting with the old CF&L, dry firefighting, bloody hard woirk and if I ever meet the bastard who invented the rake hoe...........................

[journeyman Mick]

.....................bloody hard woirk and if I ever meet the bastard who invented the rake hoe...........................

Pretty unlikely Iain, a bloke by the name Macleod working with the forestry service in California about 50+ years ago. :rolleyes:

Mick

[aussiecolector]

My alarm started chirping at 3.00am, get up, find battery, change, back to bed.
Need to get hard wired so I don't get woken up next year.
Never had anything to do with CFA but spent three years firefighting with the old CF&L, dry firefighting, bloody hard woirk and if I ever meet the bastard who invented the rake hoe...........................
Battery will still go flat in hard wired alarm.
I was living in a flat at the end of a dormitry once which was hooked up to the fire bregade. Cooking dinner one night with the exaust fan going over the stove the alarm goes off and two red trucks turn up. Turns out the fan blows into the ceiling space just below a smoke detector.

[ryanarcher]

Need to get hard wired so I don't get woken up next year.



do you have daylight savings time in Australia? the rule in my house is: when you change the clocks, change the smoke detector batteries.
:)

[flea1607]

April Fools Day is the day that we change the batteries;)

[AlexS]

do you have daylight savings time in Australia? the rule in my house is: when you change the clocks, change the smoke detector batteries.
:)

Yep, that's the advice here, too.

[ozwinner]

do you have daylight savings time in Australia? :)
We do, I always wonder where they stash that spare hour??

Al :confused:

[flea1607]

We do, I always wonder where they stash that spare hour??

Al :confused:
Not all of Australia seems to need Daylight savings:rolleyes:

[Daddles]

Got a licenced sparky to install two, hardwired smoke detectors. One worked a treat. The other would drain the backup battery in a few days. He never did work out what the problem was. Then the divorce came along and that place was sold so I don't even know if putting in a new detector fixed it :confused:

Richard

[Iain]

I know, I know, we have the same rule/idea but I still wait for the chirp and save 20c a year, and lose a nights sleep :(

[ozwinner]

I know, I know, we have the same rule/idea but I still wait for the chirp and save 20c a year, and lose a nights sleep :(
You are a Scott arent you?? :confused: :rolleyes:

Al :p :D

[Iain]

Only with one 'T' :D
20c is 20c....

[ozwinner]

Only with one 'T' :D
20c is 20c....
Sorry, I put 2 "T"s then one, then 2 again. :o
Should have realized, saving "T"s would count also. :p

Where did this come from, about Scots being tight??

Al :)

[Daddles]

Sorry, I put 2 "T"s then one, then 2 again. :o
Should have realized, saving "T"s would count also. :p

Where did this come from, about Scots being tight??

Al :)

Hey Al. You're wasting question marks. You only needed one!

Richard

[Daddles]

See, on this forum, we can reduce even a thread about saving your life to the ridiculous :cool:

Richard

[Driver]

do you have daylight savings time in Australia? the rule in my house is: when you change the clocks, change the smoke detector batteries.
:)

Ryan

You just opened a huge can of worms, mate!

Everywhere in Oz with the exception of Western Australia has Daylight Saving.

Over here it has been determined by popular vote :rolleyes: that such an interference with the basic rules of nature would cause curtains and carpets to fade :confused: , cows to give milk in the middle of the night :o , lambs to be borne prematurely :rolleyes: and, if I understand it correctly, the earth to spin out of control and send us all hurtling to our doom :eek: .

In other words, we don't have Daylight Saving here in WA. Consequently, we waste the beautiful summer evenings by turning them into beautiful summer evening traffic jams on our freeway. :mad:

(Don't get me started! .....Too late! ...... Now look what you've gone and done! Aaaaarrrggghhh!) :mad: :mad: :mad:

[ozwinner]

Hey Al. You're wasting question marks. You only needed one!

RichardDont worry my machine is full of them.......

Allllllll???????>>>>><><<>HJ>MGHJ>FHAGWEF

And everything else toooooooooooooooooooo :D

[ozwinner]

Ryan

You just opened a huge can of worms, mate!

Everywhere in Oz with the exception of Western Australia has Daylight Saving.

Over here it has been determined by popular vote :rolleyes: that such an interference with the basic rules of nature would cause curtains and carpets to fade :confused: , cows to give milk in the middle of the night :o , lambs to be borne prematurely :rolleyes: and, if I understand it correctly, the earth to spin out of control and send us all hurtling to our doom :eek: .

In other words, we don't have Daylight Saving here in WA. Consequently, we waste the beautiful summer evenings by turning them into beautiful summer evening traffic jams on our freeway. :mad:

(Don't get me started! .....Too late! ...... Now look what you've gone and done! Aaaaarrrggghhh!) :mad: :mad: :mad:
Col.
When we get Daylight Saving Time again, Ill bottle you one hour of sunlight, and send it to you.

Al :p

[bitingmidge]

Everywhere in Oz with the exception of Western Australia has Daylight Saving.

How wrong can you be Col?

Queensland and WA combine to take up more than half of the Continent's land mass, and since Qld does not choose to save daylight either, it would appear that a only little under half the country does.

Or have I got that wrong?

Cheers,

P

[ozwinner]

Ok youse two, Ill send you a 1/2 hour each.


Al :)

[Daddles]

Funnily enough, some dipwit govt department actually commisioned a report on whether daylight saving fades curtains. Fair dinkum. The result was that it DOES :eek: They discovered that people tended to pull their curtains closed earlier and so the curtains got more sunlight and faded.

Fascinating.

The world just wouldn't survive without reports like that.

Richard