DONT BE A FOOL CHANGE YOUR SMOKE ALARM APRIL 1ST

Since 2001 DFES has participated in a national campaign designed to encourage householders to change their smoke alarm battery on 1st April. The annual “Don’t be a Fool! Change your smoke alarm battery on April 1st” campaign. The campaign will include a variety of television, newspaper and social media strategies, encouraging people to test and maintain their smoke alarms. As in previous years Duracell Batteries are sponsoring a National campaign. DFES Community Engagement is seeking Fire-fighters support of the upcoming Home Fire Safety & Smoke Alarm campaigns.
The involvement of fire stations and volunteer fire and rescue services across the State is the most effective way of motivating householders to take action to ensure they have a working smoke alarm.
The key messages for the 2014 smoke alarm campaign are not yet finalised, once final approval has been granted the key messages and talking points will be sent to you. The messages will be similar to those from last year. Only working smoke alarms save lives, all smoke alarms require replacement every 10 years* 
DFES recommends householders test smoke alarms regularly (monthly)  Smoke alarms require regular cleaning – check each smoke alarm for a build-up of dust and cobwebs and clean with a vacuum cleaner at least every 6 months** 
For householders still using 9V battery powered smoke alarms, DFES urges householders to change smoke alarm batteries on April 1st ** 
DFES recommends householders install mains powered photoelectric smoke alarms DID YOU KNOW! * The awareness that smoke alarms, regardless of their type, should be replaced every ten years (26%), has significantly increased compared to 2012 (19%) ** 74%, almost three out of four respondents indicated not being aware of the need to clean smoke alarms every year and 26% indicated being aware of this. (Source: Flash Poll)

NEW LEGISLATION New legislation from the Building Code of Australia which comes into effect on 1 May 2014 requires that where more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed in a dwelling they are interconnected so that if one alarm in the dwelling activates then other alarms automatically activate. DFES will be promoting this new legislation throughout the home fire safety campaign. Please familiarise yourself with the new legislation at this LINK to the Building Commission so you are able to answer questions from the public. GETTING INVOLVED Initial emphasis will be on the 1st April campaign – with as many stations as possible doing something visible around this campaign on that day. However, encouraging the Western Australian community to have working smoke alarms is a message that firefighters can spread throughout the entire year. NEW COMMUNITY PFOFILES – CAREER STATIONS All Career stations have recently received community profiles that are also available on the Community Engagement Toolbox. The Home Fire Safety Campaign provides an opportunity to use the community profiles and CE Toolbox to assist you to identify a relevant target audience and organise an effective activity. The Community Engagement team are available to assist you with the community profiles and planning your activity. SUPPORT MATERIALS Duracell has provided merchandise to support the campaign and to help you spread the message in the community. Please focus your community engagement activities on developing skills in the community and not on providing giveaways.

NEED MORE INFO? HAVE A QUESTION OR QUERY? For further information about this campaign please contact Community Engagement on 9395 9816 or by email communitysafetyresources@dfes.wa.gov.au. For all media enquiries please contact DFES Media & Public Affairs on 9395 9386 or email media@dfes.wa.gov.au

What I didn't know was change any smoke alarm after 10 years hard wired or not !!
Something we should all have to put in our diaries somewhere every anniversary of our smoke alarm on April 1st.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS AND GIVE IT A REAL GO !!