THERE is no excuse not to have a working smoke alarm with free batteries on offer to Perth households.
Battery World stores are swapping old smoke alarm batteries for new ones ahead of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) annual campaign to replace batteries on April 1.
Balcatta store owner Paul Blundell-Williams said people could bring their old batteries in to stores to be replaced.
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READ NOW“We understand people might come in for extended family, so we will happily give you as many as 20 batteries for your old ones,” he said.
“Hundreds of thousands of Australians still fail to change their smoke alarm batteries every year.
“Yet one simple fact does not change – if you haven’t got a working smoke alarm you are four times more likely to die in a residential fire than people with a working smoke alarm.”
He urged people living in a home with a garage connected to the house to check and install a smoke alarm in the hall outside the door to the garage.
Mr Blundell-Williams also encouraged residents to check on elderly relatives or neighbours to see if they have changed their smoke alarm batteries, and said detectors older than 10 years needed replacing.
Batteries will be replaced free on March 30 and 31 in stores in Joondalup, Balcatta, Osborne Park, Malaga, Morley, Midland, Claremont, O’Connor, Belmont, Welshpool, Maddington, Canning Vale, Armadale, Rockingham and Mandurah.
Home fire safety tips
• Turn appliances off at the power point when not in use
• Don’t charge on a bed, carpet or soft surface, nor leave chargers on overnight
• Ensure appliances are in good condition and working order before use
• Do not overload power boards
• If you see a fire, always call 000 rather than local fire station for the quickest response