STAY WARM AND SAFE AT HOME THIS WINTER

WINTER is the peak season for house fires and this year CFA Brigades around the Bellarine Peninsula we have experienced a number of call outs to structural incidents.

Across the Bellarine we are focused on getting a truck out the door when the pagers go off — day and night. We are committed to keeping the Bellarine safe all year round and volunteers work closely with our career firefighters to ensure we can do this.

At a minimum two fire trucks will be deployed when there is an incident and, depending on the severity, more may be called. All members train regularly to be prepared and able to respond to every situation.

Here are our top six tips for staying safe and warm this winter:

1. Ensure all your smoke alarms are in good working order. Change your batteries every year and consider in- stalling more, particularly in the bedrooms.

2. Place a guard rail around open fires and gas heaters. If drying clothes in front of a wood or gas fire, the rack should be at least one metre away.

3. Cooking in the kitchen is the single largest cause of fire in the home. Keep an eye on what you’re cooking and supervise children in the kitchen.

4. Do not leave appliances such as phone chargers, laptops, or hair dryers and straighteners on bedding.

5. Only run your clothes dryer when you’re at home and remember to clean the lint before each cycle.

6. Prepare a home fire escape plan in the event of a fire and know where your family meeting point is. Make sure all your family knows it.

Always call 000 in the event of a fire or emergency situation. For more information go to www.cfa.vic.gov.au