In Victoria, owners and landlords are required by law to install smoke alarms in all residential buildings, including houses, townhouses, flats and units. (Make sure to change the batteries regularly – we suggest every six months when daylight saving time starts and ends.) If the place you’re renting doesn’t have a smoke alarm (positioned to wake sleeping occupant), contact your landlord.

To minimise the risk of fire:

• test your smoke alarm on a regular basis (using the test button on the alarm)
• don’t overload powerboards and double adaptors
• turn off computers, monitors and TVs after use so they don’t overheat
• keep clothes and curtains at least one metre from heaters
• turn off heaters before you go to bed or leave the house
• stay in the kitchen when cooking, especially when cooking with oil. (Never try to put out an oil fire with water as it needs to be starved oxygen. Instead, turn off the stove and put a lid on the pan if it’s safe to do so. Use a fire extinguisher or fire blanket in the first few seconds of ignition if you have one available.)
• make sure that the external doors of your home aren’t deadlocked when you’re inside so you can escape quickly in an emergency.

For more information, check out Fire Rescue Victoria’s home fire safety booklet (available in 26 languages).