Give the gift of fire safety this Christmas

19 Hakihea 2024

Politics, life plans, the economy - all Christmas lunch conversation starters where the danger needle sits firmly in the extreme segment.

If you’re looking for somewhere to pivot if any of these fraught conversations look set to ignite, Fire and Emergency New Zealand Community Education Manager Tom Ronaldson has the topic for you.

"Adding some fire safety chat to your Christmas lunch conversation list could help you avoid a sticky conversation, and potentially save a life in the process - it’s a win-win," he says.

"The holiday season is a time when people come together and visit their loved ones, particularly the older members of their family, who, on a more serious note, are particularly vulnerable to the risks of fire."

Recently completed analysis from Fire and Emergency showed over the last five years, people over the age of 60 represented 55 percent of fatalities in house fires. In many cases they did not have working smoke alarms.

"This is a massive over-representation of older people in fatal fires and it’s something that must change," Tom Ronaldson says.

"We all need to take ownership of this issue and start having conversations with the older people we know to help prepare them for the risk of fire.

"That can be as simple as asking ‘have you got smoke alarms?’ and then helping them check they are working if they do, or helping install them in every bedroom, hallway and living area if they need assistance."

Other topics to cover include creating a three-step escape plan, never leaving cooking unattended, keeping clothing or furniture at least a metre from the heater (or fireplace), not overloading multiboards and charging devices safely.

Tom Ronaldson says all this information can be found on the Fire and Emergency website.

"If you give the gift of fire safety this Christmas it could be the best gift you ever give - the gift of a life saved."